


Guilty Until Proven Innocent

by theguineapig3



Series: Guilty Until Proven Innocent [1]
Category: Slayers (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-31
Updated: 2015-05-22
Packaged: 2018-03-04 11:23:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 94,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3066011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theguineapig3/pseuds/theguineapig3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Crimes against humanity”- these are the charges that the Ruvinigald government has mounted against a young noblewoman, and Lina Inverse has been called in to crack the case. But as evidence surfaces on both sides, the line between guilty and innocent begins to blur and Lina and her friends must pick a side. When good and evil are indistinguishable, how does a hero choose?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Crimes Against Chicken Wings

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and welcome! I’ve had this fanfiction in the works for a while now, and I’m very excited to share it with you. As always, I don’t own anything, I’m just a fan writing some fiction. Updates will be weekly on Fridays. Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

**1- Crimes Against Chicken Wings**

_A cold wind blew through the courtyard. Abandoned buildings in the dead of winter were the last place one could expect to find warmth, but this castle’s current inhabitants weren’t worried about the cold._

_The visitor, on the other hand, seemed_ very _worried about the cold._

_It wasn’t that the boy’s coat wasn’t thick enough, but the rain had waterlogged it and the weight was dragging him down. A long ponytail of blond hair was plastered to his back, and he had a bag slung over one shoulder. His most precious cargo was not in the bag, though, but cradled in his arms. He bowed, pressing his nose to the frigid stone floor._

_“Please…” he murmured. “…I beg of you. You’ve_ got _to help me.”_

_The two figures glanced at one another. The one on the right was a tall beastman, but the second was a tiny animal, and he was perched on the table next to his companion._

_“What is this favor, anyway?” the small animal asked._

_“Th-th-th-” The boy’s teeth chattered as he spoke. “-this…” He set the sword he was carrying onto the floor and pushed it forward. “…I need you to make a copy of this.”_

_“That’s…” the small animal breathed._

_“It’s the legendary Sword of Light.” The beastman finished the sentence for him._

_The little animal jumped off the table and scurried over to the sword, examining it closely. “Where did you get this?” he asked the boy._

_“I won’t lie. I stole it.” the boy answered. “It was in the wrong hands. I had to. If they kept it, th-then…”_

_“But then why do you want a copy? What makes you think we can even do that?” the Beastman approached his companion and the boy, picking up the sword and examining it as well._

_“Aren’t you the ones… who possess knowledge from the magical city of Sairaag? Please, oh please, the people I stole the sword from are out to get me. If they find me, they’ll kill me. I don’t want to give them the real thing back, but if I don’t… you understand?”_

_“But to make a copy of a magical sword like this? That’s a tall order.” The little animal jumped onto his companion’s shoulder._

_“I’ll pay you!” The blond boy pulled out a bag of gold coins. His fingers were numb and he had a hard time unlacing the bag. It split open and the coins scattered out onto the floor. “I’m sorry. I heard you were collecting money for some kind of medical research. It’s no object- you can have all of this.”_

_The small animal narrowed his eyes. “Did you steal this too?”_

_“Does that matter?”_

_“Please give us a moment to talk this over.”_

_The boy nodded, beginning to collect the coins from the floor. The beastman and the tiny animal stepped away, arguing as they moved._

_“You’re the Black Magic expert, prince. Can you make a copy of that?”_

_“I can try. I just don’t like the idea of accepting stolen money.”_

_“The boy said it was in the wrong hands, didn’t he? What do you think the original owners would have done with it? We’ll take the money and use it to fund medical research to help many people.”_

_“But stealing is stealing.”_

_“If you don’t do this favor for him, that boy might die. He’s no more than a child. Can’t be more than fifteen or sixteen. Would you wish that for anyone?”_

_The little animal turned away with a sigh. He jumped off his companion’s shoulder and hopped over to where the boy was tying up the bag of coins again._

_“Listen, kid. I’m going to do what I can to help you. I’ll accept the money, but only half at first. I’ll take the other half after you present the fake sword to those people who’re chasing you. That way I have some- kid?_ Kid? _”_

_The boy had passed out. Whether it was from the cold or fatigue, the beastman and the little animal weren’t sure. The beastman took the boy somewhere safe and warmer for the time being, while the animal began examining the Sword of Light._

_He had a job to do, and the sooner he got it done, the better_

* * *

“Would it be bad manners to take food off Gourry’s plate while he’s in the washroom? Part of me wants to say yes…” Lina murmured to herself, tossing a glance toward the empty seat next to her. “…and an even bigger part of me wants to say no.”

Before the former part of her conscience could drown out the latter with sympathy for her companion, she snatched up all of the chicken wings and moved them to her side of the table. A slight twinge of remorse caused her to pick one- the smallest, of course- and return it to Gourry’s plate, but the rest she began eating right away.

This particular tavern was too quiet, at least as far as taverns went, but Lina had read about it in a food journal and couldn’t pass up the opportunity for their delicious home cooking. What had begun as a party platter meant to feed a group of twelve had been reduced to nothing more than crumbs and residual smudges of mashed potatoes and gravy, all thanks to Lina and Gourry’s appetites.

 _I wonder what’s on the dessert menu,_ Lina mused, gnawing on her spoils. _I read that this place has a great bread pudding, complete with the best caramel sauce this side of-_

“Excuse me.”

If the tavern had been any louder, Lina wouldn’t even have been able to hear the woman’s voice. She turned to look up and noticed a young woman, perhaps around Gourry’s age, staring at her pensively. Lina made eye contact as if to encourage the woman to speak more, but she stayed quiet.

“…can I help you?” Lina asked finally.

“I-I’m sorry!” The woman gave a quick bow and then brushed her dark hair out of her face. “My name is Meg, and I represent Inspector Maximilian de Morrigan, of the Ruvinigald Kingdom. I’m here to speak to… uh… Lina Inverse…”

“Ruvinigald?” Lina frowned. “What does the Ruvinigald Kingdom want with me _this_ time?”

“ _This_ time? I’m afraid I don’t understand. My orders were only to-”

“Hey, Lina! Who’s this?”

Meg turned around and found herself standing directly in front of a tall swordsman. Her eyes flew up to his face and she screamed, jumping backwards a few steps and knocking over a chair. She tripped and almost fell over, but Gourry swooped in and caught her.

“Whoa! Are you alright, Miss? I didn’t mean to startle you, I just-”

By this time, the whole restaurant was watching to see what had just happened. Gourry still had Meg in his arms and was looking over her to make sure she wasn’t injured.

“O-oh no! I’m so, so sorry!” She looked as though she were going to cry. “I didn’t mean to scream. You spooked me, appearing all of a sudden like that.”

Gourry let go of Meg, allowing her to steady herself against the table while he picked up the chair she’d knocked over. Lina stood up and waved her hands toward the rest of the patrons.

“Alright, go back to your dinners. There’s nothing to see here.”

Gourry sat down in his spot and invited Meg to sit down across the table from him. “Who did you say you were again?”

“My name is Meg. I’m so dreadfully sorry about all that commotion- I don’t know what got into me.”

“It’s fine, no problem.” Lina waved a hand dismissively. “Just keep talking. Didn’t you say you were from the Ruvinigald Kingdom? What do you want with me?”

“W-well…” Meg stammered. “Inspector Morrigan said that it was imperative that we locate you, Miss Lina, and-”

“You’re not trying to arrest me, are you?” Lina stood up again, slapping one hand on the table. “If you think that’s what’s going to happen, you’ve got another thing coming! I’m going to resist arrest to the best of my-”

“Miss Lina, please! What are you talking about?” Meg interrupted. “W-we have no intention of arresting you…”

There was a pause. Lina noticed Meg squirming in her seat, and then that the outburst had drawn the attention of the restaurant patrons once again.

“…I… don’t like being the center of attention…” Meg murmured quietly.

Lina quickly put on an innocent act. “Ha-haha, don’t worry everybody. We’re just having some fun. This is all a long-running joke, right guys? Hahaha!”

Gourry gave a sigh and rolled his eyes, and Lina elbowed him in response. She sat down, making sure that everyone had turned back to their own tables again. “So, if you’re not here to arrest me, what _are_ you here for?”

“W-we… have a job for you.” Meg replied, wringing her hands. “Er, I mean, a job _offer_ for you. What I mean to say is, we need your help.

“My help?”

“Inspector Morrigan wants to meet with you. He’s in the city now, working a job at border control.”

“So that’s how he found us, huh? He heard that we had entered Dils through this particular gate?”

“Please, Miss Lina. It’s urgent that we receive your help with this. If you could meet us at the border office tomorrow morning, we would be so appreciative.” Meg stood up and rummaged through her bag to find something in particular. “Here. Read through this before you come. It should make things a little more clear.”

Lina took the folder from Meg, placing it on the table beside her plate. “Okay, I suppose that’s fine. But just because I’ve agreed to meet doesn’t mean I’ve agreed to the job. I only work for a good price, you know.”

“We understand. Thank you for your time.”

Gourry watched Meg leave, but Lina had already cracked open the file folder and was browsing the data.

“An arrest warrant?” Lina spoke, pulling out her spectacles to examine the fine print. “Are they asking me to catch a criminal or something?”

“What’s it say?” Gourry asked, leaning over her shoulder.

“It’s an arrest warrant on the grounds of-” Lina’s finger traced down the page until she reached the spot where the offences were listed. There was only one written down, but it caught Lina off-guard. Her mouth hung open for a few seconds, staring in horror at the words on the page.

Gourry blinked confusedly. “Crimes against humanity? What does that mean?”

“ _Crimes against humanity_ is the Sorcerers’ Guild’s way of referring to the unethical, illegal experimentation on human test subjects.” Lina looked up at her companion with a grave expression. “That’s an offense punishable by _death_ , Gourry.”

“Who’s the criminal?”

“Some Ruvinigald noble… Lady Adelaide, it says. Never heard of her.”

“This profile on her says that she’s only eighteen years old.”

Lina snapped to attention, grabbing the paper Gourry had taken from her. “What? Are you kidding me? They’d never… they’d never give the death penalty to someone so young.”

“What evidence do they have to substantiate the arrest?”

“Let’s see…” Lina glanced back down at the document. “…there’s not enough here. Suspicious behavior is all that’s listed. That’s not enough for an arrest warrant- why is this even filled out?”

“It’s not dated or signed. Maybe they’re looking to get more evidence first.” Gourry pointed out.

“That must be it. They need more evidence, so they’re going to ask me to snoop around for them.” Lina groaned and leaned back in her chair. “Lucky me.”

“Are you sure you want to get involved in all this? Sounds dangerous.”

“We’ve dealt with these types before.” Lina waved one hand dismissively. “Halcyform, Gioconda… come to think of it, I wonder if this is at all connected to Gioconda. She was Ruvinigald nobility too, after all.”

“Gioconda… Gioconda…” Gourry spoke the name a few times . “Wasn’t she… the old hag who proposed to me in the middle of a swordfight?” He shuddered. “That’s up there among the strangest things opponents have said to me during battle _._ ”

“Oh?” Lina sat up. “What are some of the others?”

Gourry glanced around uneasily and then lowered his voice. “I’ll tell you later, when we’re not in a public place.”

“Fine, fine.” Lina sighed and placed the papers neatly back into the folder. “We can talk about this later. Flag down the waiter, will you? I think it’s about time we ordered dessert. I hear this place has a great bread pudding- your favorite.”

“Oh boy!” Gourry exclaimed excitedly. “I’ll call the waiter over just as soon as I finish my-” His eyes fell down to his plate which, before he’d left the table, had been filled with food. “-… _Lina_ , what happened to all of my chicken wings?”

“I, uh, thought you were finished.” Lina shrugged with an innocent smile. “Sorry?”

“When I say ‘I’ll be right back’ while pointing to my plate, _what does that imply?_ ”

“These things are up for interpretation, you know?”

“LIIIIINAAAAAAA-”

* * *

Dils had really stepped up its border control in the recent years, considering how the political turmoil in the Alliance of Coastal States had been affecting the states’ border with Ralteague. Having Taforashia suddenly rejoin as an independent country had changed the way that some of the coastal states did business, and not everyone was happy with it. There were a lot of treaties to be made and decisions about where Taforashia’s exports, particularly its coveted lumber, were going to end up was a major subject of contention among politicians. Lina and Gourry had made a point to stay out of it, but sometimes there were major international changes that even they couldn’t avoid.

“Have a seat in the lobby. Inspector Morrigan will see you shortly.” The secretary at the desk directed Lina and Gourry to some chairs where they sat down. Gourry was tired and in somewhat of a daze, giving the man a wave and a pleasant smile, but Lina was unhappy with the whole thing.

“…he was the one to ask us to visit. Why should we have to wait? I swear, I can’t stand the Ruvinigald people-”

“Miss Lina Inverse?”

Lina stopped mid-sentence and twirled around. A young man with a dark, bushy moustache approached her with a welcoming gesture. She looked him over, examining his face and how he was dressed, and immediately assumed him to be Inspector Morrigan. It surprised Lina how young he was. She’d been expecting some old codger, but this man couldn’t have been far past her own age. What a shame- he might’ve been handsome if it hadn’t been for the small animal that had seemingly crawled onto his face and died there.

“Inspector Morrigan?” Lina asked.

“What a pleasure to meet you!” Morrigan grabbed her hand and shook it up and down many more times than Lina thought necessary. “It’s an honor to meet the sorceress who helped to defeat the demon beast Zanaffar. My mentor, Inspector Freion, has spoken so highly of you.”

“Is that… so?” Lina murmured incredulously, hoping that he would let go of her hand sometime soon. His palms were sweaty- ick! “I’m glad to hear it. Now, about this job-”

“Yes! Please, step into the office here where we can talk privately. Bring your- um,” He glanced over at Gourry.

“Bodyguard.” Lina provided.

“Thank you. Bring your bodyguard.”

Lina and Gourry followed the man down a short hallway. Gourry bent down to complain to Lina, his mouth drawn into a pout.

“I helped defeat the Zanifeer too, y’know. What about my Sword of Light?”

“It was Pokota’s replica.” Lina replied. “But, yeah. I guess you were important.”

“You _guess_?”

“Oh, Miss Lina! Mister Gabriev- I’m so glad you could make it!”

Lina recognized the voice from the previous day. Meg was sitting behind the desk, but her head was hidden behind a stack of papers. The office was small, and the two chairs that Morrigan directed them to were even smaller. Lina, with her petite frame, was able to sit comfortably, but Gourry barely squeezed into the seat and had to fold up his legs against the desk. Lina pulled out the folder of papers that they’d given her and handed them back to Morrigan.

“Have you read through the information?” the inspector asked, taking the folder and leafing through it to make sure that all the papers were still there.

“Yes.” Lina nodded. “My bodyguard and I went over all the details last night and discussed it. I assume you want us to dig up some information on this Lady Adelaide that you’re bent on arresting?”

“That’s right.” Morrigan placed the folder on top of a pile of papers, and the pile swayed back and forth, almost toppling over in the process. Meg reached out and skillfully steadied it, but the inspector didn’t acknowledge her. “We have good reason to believe that Lady Adelaide has been carrying out illegal and unethical experiments, and, as she is a Ruvinigald citizen, it is our duty to investigate and prosecute her.”

“Yeah, I got that from the papers.” Lina replied. “But why do you need me? What have I got to do with it?”

“We believe that Lady Adelaide’s activity is in some way related to her mother’s experiments. Since you were present during the struggle with Marquess Gioconda, we believed that you might have inside information as to-”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Lina waved her hands around, accidentally knocking Gourry in the face in the process. She apologized, and he frowned and rubbed his cheek in response. “Are you telling me that Lady Adelaide is Gioconda’s daughte _r_? I didn’t even know Gioconda _had_ a daughter.”

“Oh? You didn’t know? I suppose it’s not common knowledge. Their relationship was never publicized, and it’s been over five years since Lady Adelaide was removed from the Marquess’ custody.”

“The woman had _four_ husbands.” Gourry muttered. “I’m surprised there aren’t more kids.”

“Lady Adelaide was born several months after the death of Marchioness Gioconda’s second husband-” Meg began speaking, but Morrigan interrupted her.

“Marquess, _Marquess._ How many times do I have to tell you, Meg?”

“S-sorry, sir.” Meg’s shoulders hunched over and she looked down at the desk. “My mistake.”

“Marquess Gioconda _insisted_ upon taking the normally masculine title during her lifetime and I _refuse_ to be haunted by that woman’s ghost just for not respecting her wishes.” Morrigan sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration.

“Normally I’d respect a woman like that.” Lina chuckled to herself. “Y’know, if she weren’t completely insane and all.”

“Anyway, as we were saying, Lady Adelaide is the daughter of Marquess Gioconda and her second husband- whose name I forget because I can’t remember any of those husbands’ names- but the girl grew up under the guidance of the Marquess’ third husband, as they married when Adelaide was only three years old, and he died when she was nine.”

“They were only married for six years?” Gourry spoke up.

“It was actually March-er- _Marquess_ Gioconda’s longest marriage.” Meg replied. “She was married to her fourth husband for a little over a year, and only married to her second husband for about eight months.”

“Eight months.” Lina breathed. “Only eight months before she murdered him?”

“Now, now, we have no _proof_ of that.” Morrigan interrupted. “We can’t talk murder unless we have evidence to substantiate-”

“She confessed to me.” Gourry interrupted. “I heard her loud and clear.”

“This conversation is getting out of hand.” Morrigan brought his fist down on the table, nearly knocking the papers over again. Meg caught them just as she’d done before, but not without an annoyed glance toward the inspector. “The fact is, once Marquess Gioconda died, her estate was seized by the Ruvinigald government as evidence in the Zanaffar case. Despite her lack of connection to her mother over the last five years, Lady Adelaide demanded that she be allowed to inherit her mother’s estate with no government interference. She has been fighting for control of the Gioconda estate, and we have reason to believe that it is because of her connection with Marquess Gioconda’s illegal experimentation- which, might I add, is _still_ happen. We have concrete evidence that illegal human experimentation is happening in connection with the Gioconda estate.”

“ _Still happening_?” Lina spluttered. “B-but that’s impossible! Gioconda died and her accomplice went into hiding! Their experiments can’t still be going on.”

“Lord Duclis was not the only one working with Marquess Gioconda on the Zanaffar project.” Morrigan explained. “Correspondences found with the Marquess’ belongings show that her experimentation was funded by a mysterious individual using the pen name ‘Abaddon.’ Apparently he was the one backing the whole project and therefore had power over the whole thing.”

“We don’t necessarily know that Abaddon is a man.” Meg cut in. “Abaddon could easily be a woman, or something else entirely.”

Morrigan nodded. “Whatever the identity of this individual, we believe that Abaddon is still in contact with Lady Adelaide and is pressing her to continue with the work that she and her mother began earlier. The Zanaffar armor was only the beginning, if the correspondences from Abaddon are to be believed, and we have to put a stop to this project before any more innocent lives are affected.”

“I see.” Lina crossed her arms and nodded her head. Gourry saw her brain switch gears into business-mode, and he scooted his chair a short distance away from hers. “So, what you’re saying is, we get enough evidence to arrest and prosecute Lady Adelaide, then once we have her we can find out who Abaddon is and get them too. And for all this, you want _my_ help.”

“Are you up to the task?” Morrigan asked. “Lives could be at stake.”

Lina’s eyes gleamed as she spoke.

“Yes… for the right price, of course.”


	2. Friends and Relations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I don’t own anything, I’m just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

**2- Friends and Relations**

_The prized sword hung on the mantle, just above the fireplace, its hilt positioned so that the stream of sunlight coming through the window first thing in the morning would reflect off the colorful jewels that adorned the sides._

_In the middle of the night, however, it was difficult to see. A young man- a boy, really, no more than sixteen years old- reached out over the mantle to lift the sword off its holder. Even in the dim light, he was able to make out all the curves and designs. He’d studied them, memorized them, and analyzed them all to the best of the ability of a young boy with no formal education. But the best he could do alone was not enough. It would_ never _be enough if he didn’t_ do _something-_

_“What do you think you’re doing with that?”_

_The boy flinched, nearly dropping the sword, and twirled around. He registered the sight of the one who’d spoken to him just before he registered the voice. He breathed a sigh of relief, brushing a few stray strands of blond hair out of his face. “Don’t do that. You scared me half to death.”_

_“If I was anyone else, you_ would _be dead. Father would have killed you on the spot. What are you thinking, endangering yourself like this?”_

_“Have you forgotten already? I told you I was going to steal the sword- I expected you’d remember something that important.”_

_“I do. I didn’t think you were serious.”_

_“Have I ever_ not _been serious?”_

_There was a pause. The two boys were nearly mirror images of one another, with slight differences in facial features and stature. The taller- older- of the two approached his younger brother with a frown. “One year.” he pleaded. “That’s all I ask. We’ve been through this before- one year and I’ll be eighteen. Father will let me leave the house and I’ll take you with me. We’ll become mercenaries. We can build a new life together, just the two of us. It’ll be better, I promise. You just have to-”_

_“And leave the Sword of Light with those who would abuse its power? I don’t want to wait.” the younger brother spat. “And I don’t want to become a mercenary. I want to be a scholar.”_

_“We weren’t born for that life.”_

_The younger of the two turned away, clutching the sword even more tightly to his chest. “You mean that_ you _weren’t born for that life! Unlike you, I have DREAMS!”_

_“Not so loud.” the older brother hissed. “If we wake someone up, we’ll both be killed- dreams and all. It’s best just to wait-”_

_“I don’t want to hear what’s best for me coming from somebody like_ you _.”_

_The room went silent. The older of the two recoiled a few steps and the younger realized just what he’d said._

_“I-I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it like tha-”_

_“No. I understand.”_

_“You do?”_

_The older brother nodded. “No matter what ties bind us, we’re different people. We have different dreams and ambitions- different ideas for what we want out of life. We have to live in a way that best suits us. I tried to forbid you from doing this because I promised to protect you, but… protecting you also means protecting your dreams. If this is what you_ really _want, then… I support you.”_

_“Then you’ll come with me?” The younger brother’s eyes lit up._

_“No. My dream is to live a normal life someday. To do that, I have to stay here, where I’m safe… er than I would be running off. But I’ll cover for you. In return, you have to promise me you’ll do everything you can to stay alive. Someday I want to meet you again so that you can tell me about all the cool stuff you’re studying that I could never understand.”_

_The younger of the two smiled. “You would understand it if you tried.”_

_“And hurt my poor head in the process? No thanks. I’ll leave the tough thinking up to smart people like you.”_

_“How are we even related?”_

_The two brothers shared a quiet laugh._

* * *

Gourry and Meg stood outside the door to the small office as Lina and Inspector Morrigan negotiated her price. Meg had stated that she disliked haggling and preferred to step out of the room while that went on, and Gourry had badly needed to stretch his legs.

“Aaah, my knees hurt.” he groaned, leaning against the wall. “Next time I’m offered a chair that small, I should just stand.”

“I’m sorry, Mister Gabriev. It must be tough being such a large person.” Meg tried to sympathize, but it wasn’t of much help coming from someone of her stature. “I wouldn’t _know_ , of course, but…”

“Yeah, I guess it can be tough. But I’m a better bodyguard that way.”

“Did Miss Lina hire you?”

“Hire me? No, not really. I kinda just…” He thought about it for a moment. “…hired myself, I guess. For her. It’s not really an employer-employee relationship, Lina just likes to say that because ‘bodyguard’ sounds more official than ‘travelling companion.’ Y’know?”

“Not really, but…” Meg’s voice trailed off. “I suppose it’s a rather special relationship.”

“Yeah.” Gourry smiled, but rolled his eyes at the sound of Lina’s yelling from the other side of the door. “It’s _special_ alright.”

There was a silence, and the two focused on the muffled argument just behind them. Something large crashed, and while Meg worried for Lina’s sake, Gourry was more worried about Inspector Morrigan.

“Um,” Meg began, wringing her hands nervously. “I… I want to apologize for the way I acted yesterday.”

“Huh?”

“I didn’t mean to yell when I saw you. You surprised me, so-”

Gourry waved one hand in an attempt to calm her. “Don’t worry about it. We were just talking about me being a large person- I tend to have that effect on others.”

“No, it’s just-” Meg exclaimed and then sighed sadly. “-that you remind me of someone. He was an old coworker of mine, but it’s been a long time since I last saw him, so it brought up a bunch of old memories all of a sudden.”

“Ah.” Gourry nodded, a smile on his face. “I hope the memories were fond.”

“Most of them.”

“That’s good.” He chuckled to himself and continued. “I have a lot of memories that aren’t so fond, but looking back on my time with Lina, I can’t help but be happy. We’ve been through some bad times, but she always manages to come through it victorious. She never fails to amaze me… ah! I’m talking too much, aren’t I? Sorry about that.”

Meg was surprised by Gourry’s apology and gasped. “N-no! Don’t apologize! When you talk about Miss Lina, your face… er, I mean, your smile…” Her face flushed slightly. “…I like seeing the joy in your eyes. Don’t apologize.”

“…” Gourry stared at her a moment. “Okay, then. I had no idea-”

The door burst open and Lina waltzed out with a triumphant grin on her face. “It’s a pleasure doing business with you, Mister Morrigan!”

“That’s _Inspector_ Morrigan to you…” he grumbled.

“C’mon, Gourry. Let’s go get our things together.” Lina grabbed hold of Gourry’s arm and led him down the hallway. “We leave this afternoon- Morrigan has agreed to pay our traveling costs. From now on, we eat like kings!”

“Yeah!” Gourry exclaimed in delight, his earlier frustration with Lina’s attitude forgotten. He could always count on her to get the best deals no matter what, and as much as he disliked her forceful nature, he was grateful for it.

Inspector Morrigan and Meg watched the two go. “…what did you finally decide?” Meg asked quietly.

“She was demanding an _outrageous_ sum of money, and I told her that it just couldn’t be done. She finally brought her price down when I agreed to pay all the travel expenses for her and her companion. Everyone back at the Bureau of Investigation is going to be angry with me for this, but…” Morrigan sighed sadly as he walked back into the office and began sorting through the piles of paper that had been tossed onto the floor.

“Then why not just dismiss them?” Meg followed him into the office and closed the door behind her. “There are plenty of others with inside knowledge into the Gioconda case- Is it so vital that we have _this_ girl in particular?”

“Inspector Freion insisted that, if we wanted to succeed, we had to get Lina Inverse to assist the investigation. He’s the one who put his reputation on the line by assigning me to this case. I have to make sure this operation goes smoothly… just to prove it to all those detectives who think I’m too young to handle a case this serious.” The paper that was in Morrigan’s hand crumpled as he said the words ‘ _too young_.’ He _was_ the youngest detective in the Ruvinigald Bureau of Investigation, after all, so the more practiced investigators had reason to view him as inexperienced and naive. But if he never got assigned to an important case, how would he ever prove himself? “I’m not going to let the risks that my mentor took for me be in vain.”

Meg nodded silently and began picking up papers herself. “...I’m surprised that they were ready to leave on such short notice. I was sure they would ask us to at least wait until tomorrow morning.”

“They seem to be traveling aimlessly. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

“Wandering all around the world with the one you love? Sounds nice, yes.”

Morrigan stopped what he was doing and stared at Meg. “Come again? I thought Mister Gourry was Miss Lina’s bodyguard.”

“Oh, well…” Meg shrugged. “I spoke to him in the hallway, and his mannerisms seemed to suggest otherwise.”

“Aaaaah,” Morrigan laughed. “interesting. That _must_ be nice, then. Do you have anyone you’d want to travel the world with, Meg? You always wear that lovely ring-”

“No.” For once, Meg didn’t hesitate before answering. “I do not.”

“Hey, that’s nothing to be ashamed of! Me neither!” Morrigan waved a hand with a good natured smile on his face. “I’m a married man already- married to this job.”

Meg nodded, twisting the ring back and forth on her finger absentmindedly. “…married to your job, huh? That’s an awfully interesting way of putting it…”

* * *

“If we’re investigating a Ruvinigald citizen, why are we going to Zoana?” Lina began complaining the moment the carriage left. She wasn’t happy with the destination, and began speaking out against it before Inspector Morrigan even had the chance to explain.

“Miss Lina, please.” The man waved his hands in an attempt to calm her. “We’re going to be attending the festival that’s being held in Zoana this week. Many nobles have been invited and are attending the celebration, and-”

“What are they celebrating?” Gourry raised his hand to ask.

Lina nudged him. “Knowing Martina? It’s probably just some ploy to use Zoamelgustar to bolster the economy.”

“Yes, well, that’s probably true.” Morrigan cleared his throat. “The public statement is that it’s a festival to celebrate the young prince’s first birthday, but his birthday was almost two months ago.”

“It takes a long time to organize a festival of this size. I don’t think it’s suspicious necessarily.” Meg offered good-naturedly, but none of the others in the carriage seemed to buy her optimism.

“I didn’t know Zoana had a prince.” Gourry whispered, leaning down to speak close to Lina’s ear.

Lina shrugged. “It’s been a few years. I guess Martina and Zangulus have been pretty busy since we last saw them.”

“Busy, or _busy_?”

“I don’t know. You tell me.”

“We have knowledge that Lady Adelaide will be in attendance at the festival as well,” Meg spoke up over Lina and Gourry’s side-conversation. “so it will be of great importance that she not become suspicious of our investigation.”

“That’s right. You can’t let anyone know that you’re there doing investigation work.” Morrigan instructed sternly. “We’ve gotten clearance to attend the special events under the authority of the Ruvinigald International Trade Administration as economists assessing the possibility of investing in future international events held in Zoana. You’ll be expected to ask questions about the situation in Ruvinigald, but to phrase them from an economic standpoint so as to protect your identities.”

Gourry raised his hand again. “I have a question.”

“Yes?”

“What’s economics? That’s, like, making chairs the right shape for your back so that you don’t end up with back and neck problems later in life, right?”

“Gourry, that’s _ergonomics_.”

“It’s almost the same thing, though, right?”

“Sure, why not?” Lina groaned and rested her head in one hand. “Please continue, Inspector.”

Morrigan cleared his throat and flipped over a page on the clipboard his was holding. “Right now we’re en route to a villa just outside of the main city, where we’ll be meeting with Dr. Samuel Wilson, the curator of Ruvinigald’s national archives-”

“Um, Inspector Morrigan-”

“-who will be aiding us in our investigation during the events of the festival-”

“-Inspector Morrigan-”

“-and will be able to give us valuable insight about the implications Lady Adelaide’s actions in the context of former criminal activities in-”

“-Inspector Morrigan, Dr. Wilson isn’t coming.”

Morrigan stopped abruptly and turned to Meg. “ _What_?”

“He’s not coming. I received a message from him telling me that he is tied up with a time-sensitive restoration project and can’t leave town during the next week.” Meg stated. “He’s sending one of his assistants to help us instead.”

“And you waited until _now_ to tell me this?!”

“With all due respect, sir, I walked into the office with Dr. Wilson’s note in my hand and you immediately sent me off in search of Miss Lina and Mister Gabriev. I left the note on the desk, assuming that you’d read it.”

“For goodness’ sakes, Meg, you can’t just assume that people will read every random piece of paper that-” “It was written on his letterhead, so I doubted that you would mistake it for-” “-comes across their desk! Do you have any idea how many-” “-something of little importance. A good detective is aware of his surroundings at all-” “-papers I read a day and how few of them say anything of value that I can-” “-times, you know, and so I expected that you’d-”

Lina and Gourry inched away from the two, glancing at each other uneasily. It wasn’t that there was any animosity between the detective and his assistant, but it didn’t seem like they worked particularly well together.

“Hey, Gourry?” Lina whispered.

“What is it?”

“Have you noticed the way Meg refers to us?”

“What about it?”

“She always uses my first name but your last name.”

“So what? Maybe she forgot my name. I forget it sometimes too.”

“Gourry _, really_.”

“You remembered it. Good for you.”

“I’m being serious here.”

Gourry sighed and shrugged his shoulders. “Gourry isn’t a very common first name, while Gabriev is a fairly well-known surname. Lina, on the other hand, is pretty and easier to say than Inverse, which is kind of strange if you ask me. I wouldn’t think too much about it.”

Lina’s face turned red, though not because of any specific emotion. She was caught between ‘ _aw, he called my name pretty_ ’ and ‘ _how DARE he insult the Inverse family like that.’_

Meg and Morrigan were still arguing, so Lina cleared her throat to grab their attention. “Excuse me. While I hate to be rude, I still don’t know much about this Lady Adelaide character, and I don’t want to start investigating without the necessary background information. What’s her story, anyway? You said that she was removed from Gioconda’s custody?”

“Yes, when she was thirteen years old.” Morrigan nodded, turning back to Lina and Gourry and jumping into investigation-mode again. “Allegations of child abuse had been raised against Marquess Gioconda when Lady Adelaide was much younger, but they were always dropped before anything came of them. It’s likely that some money exchanged hands, just as it always did when the authorities began to wise up to the Marquess’ actions, and then everything was swept under the rug and not spoken of again for years.”

“It’s horrible, but I don’t doubt it.” Lina nodded.

“Finally, after multiple attempts, the Ruvinigald government was finally able to remove Lady Adelaide from her mother’s custody. For some reason, they were unable to locate any of Adelaide’s father’s family-”

“Marquess Gioconda had married her second husband for his alleged family ties to a famous priest,” Meg broke in. “but it turned out that he was estranged from his family and claimed no ties after all. That’s probably why she murdered him after such a short marriage-”

“-I already told you, Meg, please don’t say the ‘m’ word. We don’t have sufficient evidence.” Morrigan interrupted again. “Anyway, with no family to whom they could send Lady Adelaide, the government placed her in a girls’ boarding school in the city of Millspring, on the southwestern border of their allied country of Seyruun. She graduated less than a year ago, ranked third in her class. Her grades were impeccable, her discipline record was spotless, and all her instructors had nothing but glowing things to say about her. She had been the president of the fencing club, and was also a registered sister of Millspring’s Order of the Holy Sword.”

“Order of the Holy Sword?” Lina repeated. “Is that… some sort of secret society?”

“I know what it is!” Gourry raised his hand with a proud smile. “I studied under a chapter of the Order of the Holy Sword once.”

Lina blinked, gaping at him in shock. “ _You_ were part of a secret society?”

“I-it’s not really a secret society. It’s more like a group of scholars with similar interests.” Gourry replied awkwardly. “And I… wasn’t part of it. Y’see, the Order of the Holy Sword mixes swordsmanship and White Magic, and you know how I am with magic…”

“You don’t practice magic, Mister Gabriev?” Meg asked in surprise.

“Nah. All those incantations and stuff are too much for me to remember.” Gourry laughed good-naturedly. “I’m better off doing something I don’t have to think too much about. But I still managed to learn a lot from the chapter I studied under. The Order of the Holy Sword has a very unique fighting style that focuses less on building the power of the fighter and more on using the power of the opponent against them. It’s supposed to be better for mages and scholars who tend to be…” he glanced over at Lina, “…on the small side.”

“Sounds like the perfect style for a young girl interested in swordsmanship.” Lina nodded, shooting him a glare. “Of course, considering what Adelaide’s _mother_ did with her swordsmanship skills, I don’t like the sound of that.”

“If this Adelaide person is really a sister of the Holy Sword, though, she could never have done all this stuff that you’ve accused her of.” Gourry continued, closing his eyes and appearing deep in thought.

Morrigan frowned. “What makes you say that?”

“Well, because the Order of the Holy Sword has extremely strict moral guidelines that its members follow. Before a person can be accepted as a brother or sister of the order, not only do they have to display their skill in both swordsmanship and White Magic, but they also receive special training with monks or nuns to educate them on the Order’s doctrine of _oneness with humanity_ … whatever that means.”

Lina raised an eyebrow. “ _Oneness with humanity?_ ”

“I just said I don’t know what it means.”

Morrigan was scribbling down notes on the margins of his paper. “Incredible… this is fascinating…”

“Inspector Morrigan, didn’t you _know_ this already?” Meg asked. “I thought you said you’d done research on Lady Adelaide.”

“I _did_ do research on Lady Adelaide. I _didn’t_ do research on the Order of the Holy Sword.”

“But if she’s a sister of the order, wouldn’t it make sense to research the order as well?”

“W-well, I suppose, but-”

Meg and Morrigan began arguing again, and Lina and Gourry tried to ignore them, continuing their own conversation.

“If Adelaide took the time to become part of an organization that preaches oneness with humanity, there _must_ be a reason for it.” Lina spoke. “Don’t you think?”

“Yes.” Gourry nodded. “The sisters at the chapter I studied with said that very few students ever go on to actually become official brothers or sisters. They said that the order is willing to teach swordsmanship and White Magic to all students who wish to learn, but membership in the order requires… something more complicated that I can’t remember. Something about the whole _oneness_ deal.”

Lina leaned back, resting her head on the back of her seat. “I’ve been to Millspring before. It’s a scholarly town, built up around one of Seyruun’s finest universities. There are opportunities all over for budding swordsmen or White Magicians. For Adelaide to not only have chosen the Order of the Holy Sword, but to have become a sister of the order _must_ have some significance.”

“Maybe it could help prove her innocence.” Gourry suggested.

“Or her guilt.” Lina shot back. “People with squeaky-clean reputations like this are either perfect angels or have something to hide, and I’m banking on the latter.”

“I see.” Gourry murmured. He glanced down at his feet. “Even if we do find out that Adelaide is guilty, I… don’t know if I can turn her in.”

“Gourry, what are you saying? This is a matter of life and death-”

“Exactly. This girl is younger than _you_ are, Lina. Turning her in for a crime like this is sentencing her to death.”

“You remember all the terrible stuff that old hag Gioconda did, don’t you?”

“And you remember that I still didn’t want to fight her, don’t you?”

“You can’t let chivalry get in the way of justice, Gourry.”

“I understand that. But is sentencing an eighteen-year-old girl to death your idea of justice?”

The two were silent. The sound of Meg and Morrigan’s argument droned on, but neither one paid attention to it. They didn’t want to admit it, but they were both starting to wonder if they’d soon regret the decision to join the investigation.

Was it really worth it?

* * *

After a long and somewhat awkward ride, the group finally arrived at the villa outside of the city of Zoana. It was dark and hard to see, and Meg went inside to greet Dr. Wilson’s assistant who’d been waiting for them while Morrigan, Lina, and Gourry pulled the luggage out of the carriage. They could hear Meg conversing with a young man, thanking him for his trouble and asking him about Dr. Wilson’s well-being.

“I can’t tell you how much it means that you’re helping with our investigation. I know you’ve been busy aiding Dr. Wilson with the restoration work-”

“Don’t think so much of it. I’m happy to get out of the stuffy museum every once in a while.”

Lina was sure she recognized that voice, but she couldn’t turn around to look with the large trunk she had in her arms. She struggled to walk toward the villa, and suddenly felt someone grab hold of the trunk from the other side.

“Need some help there, Lina?”

She dropped the trunk into his arms, staring at him in surprise.

“ _Zelgadis_?!”


	3. Meet Halfway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

  **3- Meet Halfway**

_When the young man opened his eyes, he found himself in what looked like a dungeon. He was in a bed, but the room was cold, and he was missing his bag and-_

_“No!” he gasped, sitting up abruptly. “Wh-where is it? What happened to-”_

_“Your sword is in the hands of the prince. You_ do _want him to make a copy, don’t you?”_

_The boy looked up to see the beastman from earlier watching him sternly. He relaxed, remembering the earlier situation. “Oh, that’s right. Thank you. I’m sorry for the trouble, but I-”_

_“Never apologize to someone who’s being paid to do work for your sake. The money is apology enough.” The beastman cut him off. “Tell me, who did you steal it from?”_

_“I’d rather not say.”_

_“And why is that?”_

_“They…” the boy looked around for something else to stare at as he spoke, not wanting to make eye contact with the beastman. “…they’re related to me, but they’re not family.”_

_“What does that mean?”_

_“They’re, well, my father and my half-brothers. But don’t think for a second that they love me or even care about my well-being. All they want is that sword, and they’re willing to kill me to get it back.”_

_“I suppose those are the_ wrong hands _you spoke of earlier?”_

_The boy nodded. “Yes.”_

_The beastman stood up and began pacing around the room. “Forgive me for being so nosy, but_ why _are they the wrong hands? I’ve been in this business long enough to know that there are two sides to every story, and while you’re only part of this conflict, I want to know the details. Perhaps you are the one we should be keeping the sword from.”_

_“Don’t say that! I’ve been doing research on the Sword of Light ever since I was young. I didn’t have many resources available to me, but I’ve been able to figure out one thing: the Sword of Light is not just a weapon. It contains the essence of a living entity within it. That’s the source of its power. But I haven’t been able to figure out what kind of entity this might be, or where it even comes from. It’s not like any creature in this world. It_ must _have come from somewhere else, and if so, where? My conscience, as a scholar, wouldn’t let me leave something so important in the hands of those who only wanted it in order to gain an advantage over their enemies.”_

_“I see. So you’re a scholar. That changes things.”_

_“How so?”_

_“I had thought you might be a warrior, simply by the way you were dressed and your mannerisms. Scholars and warriors think very differently, so I drew conclusions about your perspective based on my perception of your livelihood.”_

_“W-well… I’m not_ really _a scholar. Not yet.” the boy mumbled. “I’ve never received a formal education. I had to teach myself and my brother to read on our own, even.”_

_“This is a half brother?”_

_“No! This is a_ brother, _brother. He’s the only real family I have.”_

_“Is he a scholar too?”_

_“N-no, he’s… not the scholarly type. When we were kids, he always promised to protect me, and when I left, he promised that he’d cover for me.”_

_“So he knows where you’re going?”_

_“Yes, but no one else does.”_

_“How can you be so sure?”_

_The boy blinked in confusion. “This is my_ brother _we’re talking about. He’d_ never _betray me.”_

_There was a long silence, and finally the beastman gave a sigh._

_“If only things were that simple.”_

* * *

 “ _Zelgadis_ ?! What are you doing here?”

Lina had dropped the trunk into his arms, and it took him a moment to regain his balance. “What am I doing here?” Zelgadis repeated. “I’m currently working for Dr. Wilson at the Ruvinigald National Archives. He can’t be here to aid the investigation, so he sent me, since I have first-hand experience with the Gioconda case.”

“Since when do _you_ work for Ruvinigald?” Lina demanded, following after him toward the villa. “With your criminal record, I’m surprised that they’d even hire you.”

“I’m a knight of Seyruun. What’s _your_ qualification?”

“What’s _that_ supposed to mean?”

“M-Miss Lina,” Meg broke into the conversation. “you’re already familiar with Mister Zelgadis?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Lina waved one hand dismissively. “We’ve met a few times before.”

“A few times? After all the times I saved your butt in battle?”

“Saved my butt? Look who’s talking!”

“Yo! Zel!” Gourry came up behind the two, giving Zelgadis a hearty clap on the shoulder. “It’s good to see you again! I’m glad to hear that you’ve got a steady job now. Work is kinda hard to come by nowadays, huh?”

“Yes, I’m lucky that Dr. Wilson hired me.” Zelgadis nodded in reply, climbing the steps into the house and setting the trunk down on the floor next to a table.

“Lucky? Since when do you work for a living?” Lina teased. “What happened to raiding temples and tombs in search of your cure?”

“Think about it, Lina.” Zelgadis shot back. “Working for Ruvinigald’s National Archives, I’m getting _paid_ to go through old books and documents. Old books and documents that _might_ say a thing or two about chimeras.”

Lina’s eyes lit up in recognition. “Zel, you sly devil!”

“Excuse me, excuse me, I’m so glad that everyone has gotten to know each other _except for me_.” Inspector Morrigan butted in, setting down the bags he was carrying on top of the trunk. He pushed Lina to the side slightly so that he could face Zelgadis and shake hands.

“I apologize for my lack of introduction before.” Zelgadis reached out for the man’s hand and shook it. “I’m Zelgadis Greywords, one of Dr. Wilson’s assistants. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine!” Morrigan exclaimed, pumping Zelgadis’ hand up and down eagerly. “I’m Special Investigator Maximilian de Morrigan, of the Ruvinigald Kingdom. Please, just call me Inspector Morrigan.”

“Of course, inspector.” Zelgadis nodded and walked across the room to a desk that was situated in the corner, overlooking a large window. There was a stack of papers on the desk, and Zelgadis pulled a pack of papers from the top, flipping through it before deciding it was the right one and bringing it to Morrigan. “Dr. Wilson informed me that you were going undercover as Ruvinigald economists during the festival tomorrow, so I pulled a few strings and got my hands on a list of all the nobles and officials who’ll be attending. Make yourselves at home- I know it’s late, but I cans see we have a lot to discuss.”

Morrigan flipped through the list as he made himself comfy in one of the armchairs. “Sir Greywords, this is impressive. You can tell a lot about the various countries’ relations with Zoana by the sort of entourage they send. Look at that! Those high-ranking officials from Daylz must mean that they have some vested interest in Zoana’s assets. All six princes of Selmatt are on their way- they must have family ties with Zoana’s royalty. But Taforashia is only sending its prince? That’ll be a blow to Zoana’s economic interests, that’s for sure-”

“Taforashia’s prince is coming?” Lina gasped. She’d been leaning on the back of the armchair, trying unsuccessfully to read over Morrigan’s shoulder, but when he mentioned Taforashia, she plucked the papers out of his hand and began flipping through them herself.

 “H-hey!” Morrigan snapped. “I said so, didn’t I? You don’t need to grab the paper from me!”

“If the prince is coming, why is it a bad thing for Zoana?” Gourry asked. “He’s the _prince_. Isn’t he important?”

“A prince’s duty is in the diplomatic relations between the two countries. He has no power over economic matters.” Zelgadis broke in. “If Zoana and Taforashia were negotiating diplomatic treaties, that would be different. However, treaties of that nature have already been made. Zoana is now fighting for a large share of Taforashia’s famous lumber exports, which are taking a while to get back up to their previous levels and are therefore in high demand. For Poko-er, Prince Posel to arrive alone, with no economic advisors, means that Taforashia has no plans for negotiating trade agreements with Zoana.”

“Oooh, I understand now.” Gourry replied in the way he usually did when he _didn’t_ understand.”

“Prince Posel was involved in the Gioconda incident, wasn’t he?” Morrigan asked.

“He was.” Zelgadis nodded. “He was the one who provided us with the Sword of Light replica needed to rebound from Gioconda and her minions’ attacks and gain the upper hand.”

“I’ve heard a lot about the prince of Taforashia.” Meg spoke up. “He’s both a magical and mechanical genius.”

“ _I’m_ a genius too, y’know.” Lina’s lips turned up into a pout.

“Who else is coming?” Gourry asked. “What about Amelia? She’s a princess, right?”

“Amelia is coming. She’s being escorted by an entourage of Phil’s economic advisors.”

“And not her personal bodyguard?” Lina asked, throwing Zelgadis a glare.

“I’m currently employed by the Ruvinigald Kingdom.”

“But you still keep in touch with Seyruun?”

“Of course.”

“Because of your job or because of Amelia?”

“Why do I have to choose?”

“Excuse me, I’m very lost.” Meg interrupted, stepping between the group and waving her hands. “Who are we talking about? Who’s Amelia?”

“Amelia is the princess of Seyruun.” Zelgadis replied, turning his attention away from Lina and Gourry. “As a knight of Seyruun, I was appointed as her bodyguard by her father, prince Philionel, for a short time. She’s a good friend of both mine and Lina and Gourry’s.”

“Perhaps Princess Amelia would be a good person to ask about Lady Adelaide, then.” Morrigan spoke up.

“I doubt it.” Zelgadis scoffed. “Amelia probably hasn’t even heard of Lady Adelaide. She’s a wonderful princess, but, as any leader might, tends to get bogged down with her own country’s problems before working on those of other countries. Plus Amelia is a very single-minded person, and if she heard about something like this, she’d probably do everything in her power to bring this offender to- well- justice. It’s likely that her father knows, but hasn’t told her for fear that she’d start meddling in something that doesn’t concern her.”

The conversation was interrupted by a long, loud yawn. Everyone turned to look.

“Sorry about that.” Gourry murmured, rubbing his eyes. “Being cooped up all day is not good for me. I’m tired and I haven’t even done anything.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll expect you to do a lot tomorrow.” Lina assured him, giving him a pat on the shoulder. “In the meantime, we should all probably get some rest. Where are the guest bedrooms, Zel?”

“There are none.”

“Huh?”

“You’ll sleep here.” He turned and opened up some of the cabinets, pulling out cushions and blankets. “Dr. Wilson was told to save money as best he could with his arrangements, considering that the price of certain correspondences would be… _costly_.”

Lina took the blankets he was handing her with an insulted expression. “Oh, so _I’m_ the reason we’re all sleeping on the floor?”

“Yes. So get comfy.” Zelgadis began putting his cloak on and gathering some notebooks from the desk. “I’m going out.”

“Out where?”

“Doing a little extra snooping around. The whole point of getting that list of visiting nobility was to figure out which ones would be the best to interview. But there’d be no point in doing that if we had to search the whole celebration tomorrow. I’m going to see if I can find out who is planning what and who is going to be where.”

“And just where are you going to get that information?” Lina pressed.

“There were events going on this afternoon, so a lot of the nobles are already here. I’m going to ask around.”

Lina mumbled something unintelligible under her breath.

“What was that?”

“Oh, nothing.” Lina waved her hand back and forth. “I was just going to ask if the group from Seyruun is here yet. Maybe you can ask them?”

“I don’t know, but if I see them, I’ll be sure to say hello.”

“Sure you will.” Lina waved her hand. “Say ‘hi’ to Amelia for me, will you?”

“If I see her, I will.”

* * *

When Lina woke up the next morning, Zelgadis was already awake and making breakfast. She had tossed and turned during the night, and even been up a few hours prior when Gourry’s loud snoring had woken her. To get up, she had to lift Gourry’s arm from over her chest. It wasn’t that she really cared whether or not he woke up, but… she was careful. He seemed to be getting pretty cozy with Meg anyway.

“Good morning, Lina.”

“G’morning, Zel. Where were you last night?”

“What do you mean? I told you, I was out getting information. Here- read this.” Zelgadis stepped away from the stovetop long enough to offer Lina a stack of papers. “It’s got all the information here. All the plans of the visiting nobles are right here in this packet.”

Lina took a step back, examining the paper. “Where did you get this?”

“I spoke with one of the visiting nobles last night.”

“Who, exactly?”

There was a pause. The sound of bacon sizzling on the pan grabbed Zelgadis’ attention and he turned back to his work. “…Amelia says ‘hi’ back.” he mumbled under his breath.

“Uh huh. So that’s why you were out all night.”

“All night? What are you talking about?”

“I woke up a few hours ago ‘cause of Gourry’s snoring and when I looked around you weren’t here.”

“I slept in the chair.” Zelgadis responded.

“No you didn’t.” Lina replied. “Morrigan was in the chair when I woke up.”

“You were half asleep. How do you know it wasn’t me?”

“I guess it could’ve been you- if you somehow grew a bushy moustache and goatee while I was asleep.” Lina leaned over and tapped on Zelgadis’ cheek. “Can any hair grow through this tough skin of yours?”

“What does it matter to you? We were wandering around the fairgrounds, if you must know.”

“And how’d they look?”

“Dark. Empty. Gaudy. Nothing really to see.”

“Then why’d you spend _six hours_ there?”

Zelgadis grabbed a pair of tongs and picked up a piece of bacon, holding it out to Lina. “Care to sample breakfast?”

“Nice subject change.” Lina grabbed it and tossed it back and forth between her hands until it cooled down enough for her to eat it. “So what else is for breakfast?”

“I’ve got rice cooking and I’ll use the bacon grease for some eggs. How do you like yours? Sunny-side up?”

“Scrambled, please. On toast.”

“We’re having rice.”

“I want toast.”

“We have no bread.”

“There’s a hundred royals in this city. I’m sure _somebody_ around here has some bread.”

“Did you say bread?” Gourry’s voice piped up from across the room. He scrambled over, nearly knocking over the chairs around the table in the process. “I smell rice cooking. Are we having toast too?”

“Yes.” “No.”

Lina and Zelgadis noticed that they’d given conflicting responses and glared at each other. Lina sighed and left the kitchen, heading toward the washroom in the back. “I’m going to get washed up before breakfast. Gourry, argue for some toast, will you?”

Gourry gave a salute in response. Lina smiled as she pushed the door to the washroom open, but she almost ran into Meg.

“Whoa! Sorry, there. Didn’t see you. This place is too small for such a-” She stopped abruptly. “-Meg? Are you alright?”

Meg swiveled around in surprise, quickly drying off her face. “Oh, M-Miss Lina, I was…”

“Your face is red. Did something happen?”

“It’s nothing.” Meg shook her head. “Your, uh, bodyguard was…”

“Did he roll over and squish you?” Lina chuckled. “We’ve had little slumber parties like this with traveling companions before. He has a bad tendency to do that. I hope you’re not hurt. He’s _really_ heavy.”

“Heavy. Yes, he’s… _heavy_.” Meg murmured, wringing the towel in her hand. “I’m sorry. I have to go.” Within a moment, she returned and handed Lina the towel back. “Um, here you go.”

“Thanks…” Lina murmured, staring at the towel for a moment. “…I wonder what got her so upset. Gourry’s not _that_ heavy, is he?”


	4. Business as Usual

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the missed chapter last week- it was due to personal circumstances and does not represent a change in the update schedule. Thank you everyone for following along with the story so far- as always, I don’t own anything, I’m just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy.

**4- Business as Usual**

_“Stay back! I’m warning you, I’ll-”_

_“You’ll what? Do you even know how to use that sword? Something like that is no use in the hands of a brainiac like you.”_

_“I’m not joking! How did you find me? Who told you where I was going?”_

_“You think we’re too stupid to figure out your plans on our own? That we need_ help _? You’re not as smart as you think, and you’re definitely not a decent enough fighter to intimidate us with our own sword.”_

_“I know. That’s why I’ve come to… give it back.”_

_The group of young men took a step back. It wasn’t what they’d expected to hear from the boy. They were ready to slit his throat, save for the blazing pillar of light emanating from the hilt that he was holding onto. They weren’t afraid of the him, but as much as they were willing to bluff, they_ were _afraid of the sword, and not one of them was willing to move._

_“Give it back? What game are you playing?”_

_“N-no game.” the boy replied. “Like you said, I have no use for it. I can’t wield something like this. So… here. You take it back. Tell Father I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have stolen it. Have it back, and… I’ll just be going.”_

_The boy crouched down low to the ground, letting the blade of the sword dissipate. Each of the young men started towards it hastily, but the boy yelled out again._

_“Stop! Stay back. Let me leave first. You can have the sword, just… let me leave.”_

_The boy began to step away backwards, but he ran into someone. One of the men was standing behind him, staring him down._

_“Where do you think you’re going,_ pipsqueak? _”_

_“I-I’m leaving. You have the sword. Isn’t that what you wanted?”_

_“The sword is what we want.” the man behind him spoke. “…but it’s not all we were told to get.”_

_“Wha-”_

_“Father wants_ you _too. He wants you back- alive_ or _dead. It’s your choice.”_

* * *

“Now, Gourry, remember what Zel told us this morning.”

“Yes, Lina, I remember.”

“You’d better. I don’t want a stray word from you to blow our cover and get us in big trouble. I know how you are with things like that.”

Gourry pouted. “Lina, _please_. I may not be good at remembering things, but if Zel said it was important not to let anyone know what our mission is, then I’ll do exactly what he says.”

“Yes, but I don’t trust your economic knowledge.” Lina responded, rolling her eyes and dragging him through the crowded walkway. “So you be quiet and let me do the talking.”

“Isn’t that what I always do?”

“Of course it is. And speaking of talking-” Lina began. “-might I point out that you were getting _quite_ cozy with Meg this morning?”

“Cozy? Meg?” Gourry blinked.

“Well, I think it was more like you rolled on top of her in your sleep, but still. You scared the poor girl. She was in the washroom _crying_ this morning because of you.”

“Crying? What’d I do? I didn’t mean any harm.”

“I know you didn’t.” Lina groaned, shaking her head. “I don’t know why she was crying. I know she’s wishy-washy, but she doesn’t seem the kind to cry just ‘cause of that…”

“Maybe she has brittle bones or something.” Gourry suggested. “I should apologize. If I hurt her, then-”

“She looked okay.” Lina sighed. “It’s probably not our business to pry. Whatever’s going on in her life is _her_ business. Give her some space from now on, will you?”

“Sure, sure. But is this just because you’re jealous?”

Lina sniffed indignantly. “My jealousy has nothing to do with Meg’s well-being.”

“It could. If you let me snuggle with _you_ at night, I wouldn’t end up squishing other people.”

“Hah. Nice try.” Lina pushed Gourry’s head aside toward one of the booths. “How about we try our luck with that cotton candy instead?”

The crowd that had gathered for the festival was larger and more lively than Lina had been expecting, and she realized that it would be more difficult than she’d anticipated to find those they were looking for. Lina had volunteered herself and Gourry to interview the prince of Taforashia, mainly because of their close ties with him and the fact that he and Amelia were planning to spend time together at the festival, and Lina wanted to see both of them.

“I had thought it would be easy to find somebody as colorful as Pokota around a place like this, but there’s so many people, we may never find a tiny animal like him. Zel said he’d be in this area, but I don’t see him.”

Gourry finished swallowing his bite of candy. “He’s on somebody’s head.”

“Yeah, maybe he will be. If we’re lucky, we might be able to spot him, but if the person isn’t tall enough-”

“No. I mean he’s on somebody’s head. I think it’s Amelia.”

“Huh?”

Gourry was tall enough that he could see over most of the crowd, and he’d been able to spot the little creature riding on a very familiar head of hair.

“ _Amelia_!” Lina yelled, waving her hand around. “ _Pokota!_ Hey, you guys!”

There was a moment in which Lina and Gourry didn’t hear a response. However, it was just Amelia taking the time to push her way through the crowd. “M-Miss Lina… Mister Gourry… h-hey…”

By the time she burst through, Lina had already finished her cotton candy and was handing the paper cone to Gourry so that her hands were free. She ran to embrace Amelia, throwing her arms around the princess to pull her into a tight hug.

“It’s so good to see you! Zelgadis told me you’d be here- on behalf of the Ruvinigald Kingdom, is that right?”

“Yep.” Lina nodded, breaking away from the hug and noticing that Pokota had jumped over form Amelia’s head to hers. “Hey, little guy. It’s been a while.”

“Don’t call me ‘little guy.’ I’m older than you are.” Pokota pouted.

“Yeah, but you still talk like a twelve-year-old.” Lina teased, wagging a finger back and forth.

“And whose fault is that?”

“Definitely not mine!”

Gourry burst in, quick to break up the argument. “Hey, guys! Nice to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too, Mister Gourry!” Amelia hugged his waist briefly and then took a step back, admiring the two empty cones he held in his hands. “I see you’ve already dug into Zoana’s famous cotton candy.”

“It was the only confectionary around that wasn’t shaped like that atrocious Zoamelgustar.” Lina responded.

“Be careful what you say, Lina.” Pokota leaned down, pushing Lina’s bangs in front of her face. “Remember where you are. Amelia already told me about your _wonderful_ friendship with the queen of Zoana…”

“Ah, yes.” Lina murmured. “Wouldn’t want to incur her wrath during this time of moneymaking- er, I mean, _celebration_ , now would we?”

“The prince really did have a birthday.” Amelia offered.

“I don’t doubt it.” Lina waved one hand absentmindedly. “But that’s not what we’re here for, so I’ll forget about it.”

“Right. Have you found any information about Lady Adelaide yet?”

The group paused for a second. Lina and Gourry exchanged a panicked glance. Pokota was the first to speak.

“Lady Adelaide? Who’s that?”

“Lady Adelaide of the Ruvinigald Kingdom is the one that Miss Lina and Mister Gourry are looking for-” Amelia began answering, but Lina cut her off.

“A-Amelia, not so loud!” Lina shoved her hands over the princess’ mouth. “How do you know all that, anyway? It’s supposed to be a secret!”

“Zelgadis told me last night.” Amelia chirped in response, her voice muffled by Lina’s gloves.

Lina stepped away in frustration. “That damn hypocrite. He has the nerve to lecture _us_ on confidentiality after he gave away all the details to his girlfriend while they were in bed-”

“We were exploring the fairgrounds.” Amelia interjected forcefully. “And he didn’t tell me- not openly. He tried to give me his cover story, but I could tell he was lying, so I called him on it. He told me everything because I insisted.”

“And I didn’t get word of this?” Pokota asked, jumping from Lina’s head to Amelia’s. “I’ve been advised to take special care in dealing with matters involving the Ruvinigald Kingdom, considering the current animosity there is between them and Taforashia… I need to know things like this.”

Gourry looked around awkwardly. “So… are we still sworn to secrecy, or-”

“C’mon, Gourry.” Lina grabbed his arm and tugged him to the side of the path. “Our friends already know what’s up, so there’s no use hiding anything from them. Let’s find a private place to explain everything.”

The group began walking through the crowded pathways in their search for a place to talk. Amelia should’ve been the one leading the way, but she was so short that it was difficult to keep an eye on her. Amelia held onto Gourry’s arm- his other arm, the one that Lina wasn’t already holding onto- and made sure he was following her. If anyone got separated, they could see Gourry towering over all the others in the crowd.

“There’s a tent set up near the coliseum with tables for people eating. It’ll probably be crowded within an hour or so during the lunch rush, but if we go straight there, we can probably find a table.” Amelia instructed. “At an event like this, people tend to mind their own business. I wouldn’t worry about privacy.”

“What’s the coliseum?” Gourry asked. “I don’t see anything like that. All I see is that big row of bleachers further down-”

“That’s it.” Pokota replied. “It’s not a real coliseum, since Zoana’s main coliseum was… _mysteriously destroyed_ some years back… but because of the king’s love for swordsmanship, he insisted that there be a place to hold swordfighting competitions during the afternoons of the festival.”

“Swordfighting competitions?” Gourry’s eyes lit up. “How can I get in on that?”

“Anyone is welcome to join.” Amelia replied with a smile. “I wasn’t here yesterday, but I heard there was a big upset. A young swordswoman supposedly toppled all the other contestants with ease.”

“Yeah, I watched it.” Pokota agreed. “Her style was like nothing I’d ever seen. She was so fast, it was difficult to keep up with her, and it seemed like the harder her opponents tried, the harder they fell prey to her techniques.”

Lina and Gourry shot each other a glance.

“…that sounds like the Holy Sword style…” Gourry murmured. “…it couldn’t be…”

“Adelaide. She must be drawn to swordfights just like her mother was. Can’t say I’m surprised.”

“Her mother?” Pokota asked. “Do you know her mother?”

“I _did_. And so did you.”

* * *

It took longer than Amelia and Pokota had expected to eat lunch, but naturally Lina and Gourry wanted to try food from all the different vendors. Pokota made an offhand comment about how Lina could provide the entire yearly budget for the government of Zoana, and that gave her pause for a brief moment, but that moment ended as soon as Gourry offered her a bite of his turkey leg and she forgot her worries.

The story was spilled out- quietly and discreetly, but the whole story nonetheless. Pokota admitted that he hadn’t known a thing about Adelaide’s existence, and Amelia agreed, though she did have some information about the Order of the Holy Sword that she could share. All in all, they exchanged what information they had, but it wasn’t much. Nothing they could use to prove the guilt- or innocence- of the lady.

“Well, it’s not like we can do anything more.” Lina shrugged, tossing another chocolate-covered strawberry into her mouth. “Gourry’s and my job today was to interview _you,_ Pokota, and we’ve done that. I guess all that’s left is to enjoy ourselves at the festival.”

“Wait a moment, Miss Lina.” Amelia reached out to her. “Didn’t Mister Pokota say that Lady Adelaide was here at the festival, participating in the swordsmanship tournament? If she’s anything like Marquess Gioconda, she’ll be back at this afternoon’s competition to defend her title.”

“You really think we can get any information from Lady Adelaide herself?” Pokota asked.

“Gioconda was very outright about her illegal activities.” Amelia shrugged. “We should take the information we have and change it up a little. If these sorts of villains have any weakness, it’s their pride. She’ll correct our incorrect assumptions and in doing so will give herself away. It’s an ingenious plan- full of _Justice_!”

“Calm yourself there, justice-girl.” Lina stood up and placed her hand on Amelia’s shoulder, pushing the princess back onto the bench. “Gioconda was in a position in which she could say those things without fear of consequences. She had the government twisted around her finger. But Lady Adelaide already knows that the government has its sights on her, and that they’re suspicious. If she really wanted to continue her illegal work, she’d never say anything that could incriminate herself. She’s too smart for that.”

“But-”

“Like I said, we should just enjoy the festival from now on.” Lina sat down, brushing stray bits of chocolate off her cloak. “I know Gourry wanted to enter the swordsmanship competition going on this afternoon. I’d like to see him take it all… and maybe even defeat yesterday’s champion…”

“Lina,” Pokota gasped. “what are you really saying?”

“It’s simple.” Lina shrugged. “Gourry’s buddy, the king of Zoana, set up this competition to be both free of charge and lacking in any sort of prizes. The point of it is to show his love for swordsmanship by opening a venue for any and all who also love swordsmanship. Anyone entering this competition isn’t in it for potential prizes- they’re in it for the exhilaration of the fight and the honor that comes in victory. Gourry can defeat any opponent he faces, there’s no doubt about that. But if he were to defeat the reigning champion from yesterday… what might that do to her ego? She may be a top-notch swordsman, but she’s still a young girl, and the society we live in builds a young girl’s confidence to be shaky. She’ll want a rematch for sure, and if Gourry offers her one-” Lina slammed her fork into the table, causing everyone to jump back in surprise. “-my guess is, she’ll take it no-questions-asked.”

“Then we’ve got her!” Gourry gasped.

“Only in the sense that we can have a private conversation with her.” Lina replied, wagging a finger at him. “But it’s a start. What do you say, Gourry? This whole plan does hinge on you being able to win that competition, after all.”

“You bet I can win that competition!” Gourry cheered. “Leave it to me!”

Lina clapped her hands together and sat back in her chair. “Well, then. I guess our plans for the afternoon are settled. Now who’s up for ice cream? It may not be Seyruun’s famous soft-serve, but I’ve had my eye on that special Zoamelgustar flavor all day, and I really want to know what the secret ingredient is!”

“ _Yes!_ Ice cream!” “N-no more food for me, thanks.” “I’m good. You guys… eat our share, okay?”

Amelia and Pokota both looked sick and motioned Lina and Gourry back towards the crowd. Even the normally voracious appetites of the two royals couldn’t match Lina and Gourry at a festival. It was probably best that they just sit back and watch…

* * *

“Are you going to be alright? Is there anything I can do? Do you want me to get you a cup of water?”

“I’m… fine… thanks. I just need to rest.”

Morrigan had found a bench on the outskirts of the festival, away from most of the crowds, where he led Meg and helped her to sit down and catch her breath. He’d heard her mention all day that she wasn’t comfortable with large crowds of people, but it wasn’t until she began hyperventilating and nearly fainted that he realized the severity of it. The inspector sat on the bench next to his assistant, placing on hand on her back, hoping he could ease her pain somewhat.

“I’m sorry. I guess all this merrymaking is getting to me. All these people and noise and…”

“Don’t worry. You’re fine. Just rest.” Morrigan moved his hand to her shoulder, massaging it gently in an attempt to comfort her. “I’m sorry. I should’ve specified this in the job description. I didn’t realize it was such a big issue for some. For that, I am at fault, and I apologize.”

“It’s not your fault.” Meg sniffled, rubbing one eye wearily. “If I want to work in criminal justice, I have to get over this fear of people. I’ve been doing better, but something like this can…”

“I know what you mean. A large crowd of people gathered in one area is a powerful thing.” Morrigan replied, removing his hand from her shoulder and closing his eyes pensively. “I have… well, I suppose I wouldn’t call them bad memories, but _bittersweet_ memories of events like this. We used to have events like this where I grew up.”

“Ruvinigald had these sort of things?”

“No, I’m actually not from Ruvinigald. I moved to Ruvinigald with my parents at the age of six- against my own wishes, funnily enough. It’s surprising to look back and see just how lucky I was.” The inspector grimaced and muttered under his breath. “… _If you could call suddenly losing all your friends and relatives lucky_ …”

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand-”

“No, no, _I’m_ the one who’s sorry! This is not the time or place for this sort of conversation!” Morrigan exclaimed, waving his hands back and forth. He jumped up and turned back toward the line of booths. “I’m pretty thirsty after all this walking, so I’m going to get some lemonade. Do you want any?”

“Yes, please.” Meg nodded. Before he could walk off, she called out to him. “Taforashia?”

“Excuse me?”

“Taforashia. That’s where you’re from, right?”

Morrigan paused, staring back at her. “…yes, that’s right.”

Meg smiled and leaned back on the bench with a sigh, trying to clear her mind. The combination of the noisy surroundings and the importance of the mission had her head spinning. A few deep breaths of summer air helped to calm her, but it didn’t last long.

“Excuse me, Miss.”

Meg’s eyes snapped open suddenly at the sound of a man’s voice. She looked up at the young man who’d approached her, half in shock that he’d spoken so suddenly and half in fear of what he might be saying. Was she sitting in the wrong place? Had something happened?

“Can I help you?” she finally stammered.

“May I sit down? Or are you saving that seat for someone?”

Meg glanced at the spot beside her where Morrigan had been sitting. “He, uh, just got up to get some lemonade for us, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if we made some room for you.”

“No, no, I don’t expect to take long.” the man replied. “I just wanted to speak with you and your companion. You’re the economists I’ve heard about- the ones from Ruvinigald?”

“Yes.” Meg nodded.

“I represent Lowell Enterprises- we’re the company that manufactures most of the Zoamelgustar products, so our corporation deals rather intimately with Zoana. Here.” He handed Meg a business card, which she accepted and looked over curiously.

“Lowell Enterprises? I’ve never heard of it.”

“Magical items like the ones we produce are somewhat of a niche market, so I’m not surprised. I apologize for the abruptness, but I-”

“Meg! They were selling these cute little cakes for half price when you got a large lemonade, so I got one for us to share-” Morrigan’s voice cut off the man, but he stopped talking when he got close enough to see what was going on. “-and who is this?”

“This is, um…” Meg began helplessly, but the man stepped in to introduce himself.

“Vice President of Human Resources, Lowell Enterprises. I’m here on behalf of the CEO, who’s always looking for potential markets for our products.”

“Lowell Enterprises?” Morrigan repeated, setting the lemonade and cake down on the bench to free his hands. He offered one hand to the man, who shook it eagerly. “I’ve heard the name before. You produce…”

“Mass-produced magical items.” the man answered. “With the way technology is moving, our CEO sees this as the business of the future. Small things like good luck charms are not as difficult to create now as they have been in the past, and these new methods are allowing magical charms to become available to those who previously couldn’t afford such things. As you may already know, Zoana and its trademarked Zoamelgustar are making a fortune off this new market. And- if I heard correctly- you’re looking into economic opportunities for the Ruvinigald Kingdom?”

“Y-yes, well…” Morrigan stammered. Meg handed him the business card, and he looked it over for a moment. “…were you planning some sort of business proposal? We didn’t expect to be approached about this sort of thing.”

“I assumed you didn’t.” the businessman answered. “I noticed that you’ve been keeping a low profile. Don’t worry, I’m doing the same- I’m not on good terms with the queen right now, and if she saw me, she might cause a ruckus.” He chuckled good-naturedly. “I just thought that I might have something you’d be interested in.”

“We’d be interested in? And what do you know of Ruvinigald’s interests?” Morrigan questioned.

“Not much. It’s just that I have some friends with connections in Ruvinigald- connections to a certain Ruvinigald _lady_.”

Morrigan and Meg both stiffened and exchanged a glance between one another.

The businessman continued, pretending he hadn’t seen their exchange. “I know this is no place to discuss… _business…_ but I wanted to let you know that I’m here and eager to talk if you’d like to find a place to discuss the matter. I’ve been authorized to give you all the information I have, so-” He stopped and dug another card out of his pocket. “-here’s my personal information, if you need to look me up. I look forward to talking to you.”

Morrigan accepted the card, completely dumbfounded for a moment. “S-sir, wait!” he finally called when his voice began working again. “We’d be happy to speak with you about your… business proposal. It would be a pleasure to do business with you, Mister… uh…” He had already stepped forward and offered his hand again, but he had to stop and look at the card again.

“Xellos.” the businessman interrupted. “And thank you. I hope that I’ll be able to provide _exactly_ what you’re looking for.”


	5. A Fighting Chance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [The beginning scene of this chapter contains some vivid descriptions of violence- please be aware.] As always, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Thank you for reading, and please enjoy!

 

**5- A Fighting Chance**

_The sharp kick from a boot sent the young man skidding across the dirt floor of the house. He came to rest in the corner of the room, a trail of blood flowing from one nostril and landing in drops on the floor. The owner of the boot was no taller than the young man, but he towered over him while the young man was on the floor, and that was all that mattered. He walked over and placed the sole of his boot against the young man's cheek, staining the boy's thick, blond hair with dirt and blood._

" _I'm going to ask you one more time, boy, and this time I want a straight answer. Where. Is. Your. Brother?"_

" _I already t-told you." the young man stammered. "I don't know."_

"LIAR _!" The old man kicked him again, this time against the wall so he had nowhere to skid and all of the kick's power could go to damaging the boy's torso. He yelped as he felt his ribs crack against the older man's power._

" _I told you!" he screamed. "I know NOTHING!"_

_A group of three men were standing off to one corner, watching. They knew better than to get involved in an argument between their father and half-brother. This was a delicate situation. The Sword of Light was missing, and_ someone _was going to get killed because of it._

" _Stand up, boy." the father ordered sharply. The young man placed a hand against the wall to steady him and began to rise to his feet, however a stab of pain in his chest caused him to pause and wince._

_This, to the father, was unacceptable._

" _I SAID STAND UP!" The father grabbed the young man's hair and yanked it upward. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!"_

_The boy's breathing was ragged and blood from his chest gurgled in the back of his throat. "…what can I say… to get you to believe me…?" he begged. "What can I_ do _?"_

" _Tell me where he went." the father ordered._

" _I DON'T KNOW-"_

" _SILENCE!"_

_The father slammed the boy against the wall, grabbing a knife from his belt and holding it up to the boy's throat. "If I hear you say that you don't know one more time, I'll kill you right here and now."_

"… _then what do you want me to tell you…?" the boy breathed._

" _The truth."_

" _But I_ am- _"_

" _You are NOT." The father yanked the knife downward, cutting a gash in the boy's shoulder. It wasn't a lethal injury, but it_ was _painful. The boy clenched his teeth tightly, knowing a scream would only earn him more pain- or worse. The father's voice, meanwhile, grew softer. His free hand trailed along the right side of the boy's face, pushing the hair away to reveal a cloth patch that covered the boy's right eye. "Let me ask you something." he murmured. "How long has it been since that fight?"_

_The young man was silent._

" _I asked you a question."_

"… _nine years…" the young man murmured._

" _Nine years, huh? Nine years is enough time to get used to only having one eye, isn't it? Getting used to the idea that you'll never amount to anything as a swordsman?"_

_The boy heaved a deep, labored breath. "Just because I-"_

" _You will NEVER amount to ANYTHING as a swordsman. DID I STUTTER?"_

" _N-no."_

" _You still have some vision, though. You have a future. You're strong and hardworking. You'd make a good laborer. Anyone would be happy to have that chance… right?"_

"…"

" _But…" the father continued in a low voice, raising the knife to the boy's face. "…what if you lost even that? What good would you be to the world if you were blind? You lack any intelligence whatsoever- you could never be a magician or a scholar. The world has no need for a blind idiot who can't remember his name half the time. What would you do…?"_

_The young man could see the knife just centimeters away from his left eye. His breathing grew more rapid and his heart started racing. His mind, however, was firm._

" _Do whatever you want." he hissed. "You think you can get answers where there aren't any? If I give you false information just to save my hide, you'd know it right away, and I'd be in even more trouble. Go ahead. Gouge my eye out. Blind me. Take my future away from me. It won't make a difference. It won't change the fact that I_ know nothing."

_The father regarded him silently for a moment, and then returned his knife to its holder in his belt. The boy exhaled in relief, but it was short-lived. The father threw him to the ground toward the group of men across the room._

" _He's as useless to us as always. Slit his throat and throw his remains in the fire. He'll at least keep the house warm while you go find that sword."_

_The men glanced at each other with grins. They'd been waiting a long time to hear that order. Slowly, they each pulled out their swords and approached the young man, eyes gleaming intently, weapons poised to-_

" _SEYRUUN!"_

_The whole room fell silent. Only the boy's labored breathing made any noise for that brief moment before he was able to catch his breath and speak again._

" _He's on his way to the Seyruun border by way of the Spearfish pass." the boy spoke as quickly as he could, his voice wracked with sobs. "Once he reaches Black Mountain he plans to travel north on the Mitchell Parkway to Seyruun City so that he can catch a wagon train to Sairaag. That's all I know- please,_ please  _don't kill me…"_

_The room fell silent again, save for the boy's sobs. The men glanced at one another, suddenly unsure as to whether their orders to kill the boy still stood. They looked to their father for guidance._

" _What are you standing there for? You know a shortcut to Black Mountain- go cut him off! Don't let him get to the Parkway- if you do, you'll never catch him._ GO! _"_

_As the group of men scrambled out of the room, they left their father pacing the room, staring at the sobbing boy on the floor. He watched the boy for a long moment and then finally kicked him again with a sneer._

" _Good job, kid. I guess you're not quite as stupid as we thought."_

* * *

The group had given a fond farewell and 'good luck' to Gourry, who'd gone to join the group of swordsmen lining up for the competition. Amelia pointed up toward the bleachers where people were beginning to gather.

"We'll be able to see better if we go up to the higher seats." Pokota pointed from his perch on Amelia's head. "But it looks like the seats are filling up fast."

"I'll go ahead and save you guys a spot!" Lina exclaimed, dashing forward toward the staircase. She got only a few steps forward when she collided with another crowd member going in the opposite direction. The two girls fell to the ground. The one Lina had bumped into was wearing a long dress, and it took her a moment to get herself back on her feet.

"I am so,  _so_  sorry. I'm in a rush, and I didn't see yo-"

Lina reached a hand out to the girl, and they locked eyes. The girl immediately stopped her sentence and stared. Lina was caught off-guard by the look in the girl's eyes. It was almost as though she were transfixed.

"Watch where you're going next time." Lina replied, letting go of the girl's hand. She took note of the sword that the girl had strapped to her hip. "If you're looking to participate in the swordfighting competition, you'd better hurry. With all those people lining up, you might lose your spot."

"Th-thanks, I…" the girl stammered, finally breaking her locked gaze. "…uh, thanks."

Lina watched as the girl scurried off, holding up her skirt awkwardly as she ran. "…well, that was strange. Do you think that was…"

"That girl!" Pokota yelled, jumping off of Amelia's head and flying over onto Lina's. The sorceress shushed him.

"Not so loud."

"B-but she…" Pokota stammered softly. "…she's-"

"Adelaide, right? I had a feeling."

"That was her?" Amelia gasped, catching up to the two of them.

"Of course it was. I never bump into unimportant characters."

"Are you sure…?" Amelia glanced in the direction that the Lady had run off in. "She seemed so…  _nice_."

"Nice? More like  _weird_." Pokota sniffed. "Did you see the way she looked at you?"

"I wonder if she recognized me." Lina spoke, leading the way toward the staircase again. "She seemed startled- afraid, almost. If she knows that I'm here investigating her, she'll never agree to Gourry's rematch."

"Unless she doesn't know that you and Gourry are a thing." Pokota chirped.

"That's true." Amelia nodded. "If you make sure to keep your connection with Mister Gourry a secret, then-"

"And miss cheering him on?" Lina asked, starting up the wooden staircase. "Amelia, you're funny. If Gourry's going to win this tournament, it'll be because I'm cheering him on. You know that, right?"

Amelia and Pokota glanced at one another.

"So now what?" Pokota murmured. "If Lady Adelaide is onto us, then-"

"She may not be." Amelia replied. "Even if Miss Lina suspects it, I don't think Lady Adelaide knows. We should be fine. All we have to do is wait for Mister Gourry to beat her and challenge her to a rematch."

"Right." Pokota muttered. "That's assuming that Gourry can even beat her…"

"Hmm?" Amelia stopped, her feet caught between steps. "Mister Pokota, don't say such things! How could you doubt your friend's skills?"

"I'm not doubting Gourry's skills. I didn't want to say so in front of Lina because I know how she feels about Gourry, but…" Pokota lowered his voice. "…I'm wondering what we'll do if Gourry  _can't_  beat her."

Amelia was quiet for a moment.

"We'll just have to hope we won't have to make that decision."

* * *

Lina cheered so loudly from her spot in the stands, some people threw her dirty looks. She, however, couldn't have cared less. If there was one thing she loved almost as much as bragging about herself, it was bragging about Gourry, and she had to admit, he gave her a  _lot_ to brag about.

"YEAH! YOU GO, GOURRY! KICK HIM WHILE HE'S DOWN! DON'T GIVE UP, TURN AROUND- HEY! THAT'S RIGHT! 'ATTABOY! YOU'RE THE BEST!"

"Miss Lina, please calm down. He hears you, I'm sure." Amelia placed her hand on Lina's arm in an attempt to calm her.

"Are you kidding? This is the most fun I've had in weeks!" Lina laughed, though she sat down. "Look at him go! Watching Gourry slice his way through all of his opponents is nearly as fun as slicing through the opponents myself."

"We see that." Pokota mumbled. He'd started out perched on Lina's head, but very soon moved to the more stable footing that was Amelia's shoulder. "But I'm getting worried."

"Worried?"

"Doesn't it look like he's getting tired?"

The group paused, keeping their eyes on their swordsman friend.

"…I think I might've made a mistake." Lina murmured finally. "I thought this competition would have some sort of tier structure, but it's just a free-for-all. Now that Gourry's in the ring, he has to keep fighting until he defeats everyone or is defeated himself… that's no good."

"I agree." Amelia nodded her head. "This is his eighth- er, will soon be his ninth opponent. Anyone would get tired after all that fighting."

"I trust Gourry's skills," Pokota began hesitantly, "but I was concerned about his ability to defeat Lady Adelaide at his full strength. If he's exhausted like this, there's no way-"

"No way!" Lina interrupted, jumping to her feet again. "Gourry  _has_  to win! YOU HEAR ME, GOURRY? DON'T GIVE UP!"

Gourry had initially been trying to give each opponent a fun, interesting fight. Many of them were younger than he was and less experienced, and he tried to hold back just enough to give them a good time. He could see his younger self in them, and thought it wouldn't be fair to end the fight right away. But, as the opponents kept coming with no sight of his intended target, he was starting to get worried. It took effort to prolong a fight when it was so easy to disarm his opponent in a single move, he wasn't sure how much longer he was going to last. As much as he wanted to give these kids a fair fight, he also knew that Lina and his friends were counting on him.

Each fight ended with a handshake, and a rose was given to the exiting party- a little memento for them to gift to someone special. Gourry had ended the fight with his ninth opponent more quickly than he'd wanted, but the boy still seemed excited.

"Thanks, mister! That was really fun, and I learned a lot. Someday I'm gonna be as good a swordsman as you!"

Gourry smiled, waving with one hand and wiping sweat off his brow with the other. "When that day comes, I look forward to our rematch. Work hard until then, okay?"

"I will!"

Gourry leaned against one of the walls that marked the edge of the arena, waiting for the next opponent. By this point, he couldn't even remember them individually. It was all becoming a blur, and he wanted nothing more than for it to end. He just had to wait-

" _Our current winner is after a ten-win streak, so now's the time for things to get interesting! If he wants to keep it up, he'll have to defeat yesterday's reigning champion-"_

Gourry stiffened and straightened up when he saw the young woman who'd just entered the ring. She really  _was_  Gioconda's daughter- that much he could tell by her features. Her hair, her eye shape, her lips- the only facial feature of her mother's that she really lacked was her nose. The physical resemblance was uncanny… and yet that was where the similarities ended. Gourry had been expecting something like a younger version of the Marquess, but this girl was completely different. Her gait, her expression, the way she carried herself and the aura that surrounded her were completely different.

"Nine wins." Adelaide spoke, reaching out to shake Gourry's hand. He'd gotten so used to shaking hands with large men, he had to take special care not to crush the girl's petite fingers. It made him think of Lina. "I look forward to seeing how this match turns out. Good luck."

"Same to you." Gourry replied with a nod of his head. The look in her eyes seemed to replenish his energy somewhat- it was so pure and filled with childish excitement. Whether or not this girl was a criminal, it was clear that her love for swordfighting was pure and true.

Gourry always hated the idea of fighting with women, but despite the fact that Adelaide was ready to fight in a dress and heels, he wasn't bothered at all. Perhaps it was the supportive environment of the competition, or Adelaide's true love for the art, but something about the situation calmed the chivalry in his heart and gave him nothing but excitement for this match.

With a blow of the whistle, the match started.

Gourry had gotten into the habit of holding back the past few matches, so he was immediately caught off-guard by Adelaide's speed. Pokota had been right- she was so fast, it was hard to keep up with her. Despite the knowledge that she'd trained under the Holy Sword, Gourry still had imagined that she'd have a similar fighting style to her mother. Gioconda had fought with brute force, choosing not to mask her attacks with the benefit that throwing her whole self into the strike would strengthen it. Adelaide was nothing like that. Unlike her mother, Adelaide wasn't concerned with brute force or showy displays of strength. Instead, she immediately disappeared behind Gourry, as though preparing for a strike from behind. Gourry instinctively twirled around to meet her sword head-on, but she wasn't there. Instead of striking, she'd seen him turn around and moved to his back again. He turned again, and she skipped across behind him again.

She was moving back and forth in a straight line, but Gourry wasn't, and by the time he realized what she was doing, it was too late. He staggered back, trying to keep his balance, but he was dizzy and that was difficult to do.

Despite his dizziness, Gourry's instincts picked up a cue that his opponent was about to strike, and readied himself a defense. His first idea was to go for a counter-strike, but just as he began to do that, he realized what kind of position that would put him in. That was what Adelaide wanted- for him to attempt a counterstrike that would leave him wide open. It was a common trick of the Holy Sword technique, and Gourry had long since learned how to defend against it.

The look of surprise in Adelaide's eyes as Gourry defended safely against her strike was apparent. It didn't last long, but there was a change in the girl's demeanor. Now she knew exactly why Gourry hadn't lost to the previous nine opponents.

For the first time since Gourry had entered the competition that day, Lina stopped yelling completely. She was transfixed by the fight. Adelaide and Gourry couldn't have been more different, both in their appearances and their fighting styles, and it made the conflict all the more interesting.

"Mister Pokota, you weren't joking. She's fast." Amelia murmured. "Mister Gourry can't even land a strike."

"Not just fast, she's observant too." Lina breathed. "She's already figured out Gourry's weakness and is taking advantage of it."

"Gourry has a weakness?"

"Don't you see it?" Lina lowered her voice slightly. "She's approaching him from his right every time she attacks. She's somehow figured out that he can't see as well out of his right eye."

"What- because of his hair?" Pokota moved from sitting on Amelia's shoulder to Lina's. "I always thought that hairstyle looked inconvenient-"

"I'm not really sure." Lina replied. "I haven't figured out if he can't see because of his hair, or if he grew out his hair because he can't see. Either way, the fact that she's exploiting it already is crazy. He hides it so well, it took me  _years_  to notice."

"I always did think it odd that he favored his left side while fighting," Amelia spoke up. "only because he's right-handed. I never thought it had anything to do with eyesight. He notices  _everything_ , I couldn't imagine that he had anything other than perfect vision."

Gourry, in the heat of things, hadn't figured out why Adelaide's actions were so repetitive. He chalked it up to personal technique- she was probably trying to lure him into a sense of understanding as to where her attacks would be coming from and then was going to attack from the left when he wasn't expecting it. He wouldn't let that happen- if he could help it, of course, which was a genuine concern. This fight wouldn't be so challenging had he been prepared for it, but he was exhausted to begin with, and that made it tough. Adelaide wasn't  _too_  fast for him, but she was fast enough that he was having trouble catching his breath. It was a lesson he'd learned from his childhood- proper breathing was essential for a fighter to keep close control of all his movements. If he didn't do something to end this fight quickly, he was going to regret it- and Lina would be unhappy with him for sure.

_CLANG_

The fight stopped abruptly, and it was as though the entire crowd had fallen silent at once. Gourry had gone for a strike from below, lowering his sword and swinging it upward in an attempt to get Adelaide to block it in a pose that would be easy for Gourry's strength to overpower, but… she didn't. Instead, she'd dug the blade of her own sword into the dirt, blocking Gourry's with the handle. With the elegance of the noble class into which she'd been born, she removed her hands from the grip and took a step back.

Gourry stared incredulously. She was forfeiting?  _Why?_

Adelaide locked her gaze with Gourry's, an almost melancholic expression reflected in her brown eyes. "You're tired." she spoke softly.

"I'm fine." Gourry lied breathlessly. "Pick up your sword. We'll start over-"

" _Anyone_  would be tired after nine matches. I watched you hold back for many of them- that takes a lot more effort than one would imagine." Adelaide stepped forward and pulled her sword out of the dirt, only to return it to its sheath on her hip. "I  _love_  swordfighting, and it's been years since I've fought anyone with your skill. I don't want to waste our match when we're not on a level playing field. I want to win- or lose- knowing it was a fair fight."

Gourry lowered his sword and stared blankly at the girl who was suddenly offering her hand to shake. He reached out and took her hand again, shaking it gently, assessing Adelaide's grip while analyzing the look in her eyes.

"A rematch, then." he replied. "Y-yes, I… think that sounds good."

Adelaide responded with a bright smile. Gourry's analysis of her features and mannerisms had been leading him to a conclusion throughout the entire fight, but this smile was the final nail in the coffin- the one in which all of Gourry's suspicions had been buried.

The others could give all the evidence they wanted, but Gourry trusted his instincts. He would fight for Adelaide's innocence no matter what.

"The fight concludes in a draw! Both participants have forfeited, and the next match will be among two new competitors."

Adelaide and Gourry began to leave the ring, listening to the announcer in the background explaining what was going to happen next. Adelaide took one of the provided roses for herself and handed another to Gourry.

"Here. You  _definitely_  deserve this."

Gourry took it, examining it curiously. "What's it for?"

"To give to someone special- someone you really like." Adelaide responded wistfully. "That is, if you're not too shy."

"Shy? Why would I be shy?"

The girl shrugged. "S-sorry. I wasn't talking about you. Sometimes I just talk to hear my own voice."

"There are times when your own voice is all you have." Gourry replied with a smile of his own. "So, about that rematch-"

" _Ah!_  No, wait!"

Adelaide's voice took him off-guard and caused him to pause. "Are you okay-?"

"There's something I have to do! I'm sorry- I'll find you again later!"

Before Gourry could protest, the girl ran off into the bustling crowd that was still gathered around the outside of the makeshift coliseum. He sent a glance up to the stands and noticed that Lina, Amelia, and Pokota had already left their seats. With a sigh, he started through the crowd himself, twirling the rose in one hand absentmindedly and wondering to himself how he was going to explain what had just happened.

Adelaide, meanwhile, was rushing in the direction she'd last seen the people she was looking for. She was sure she'd seen them in this direction, but everyone seemed to be moving the opposite way, and-

"Careful there, young miss!"

Without paying attention to the people around her, Adelaide had accidentally blundered into an older man. She took a step back with a quick, apologetic bow. "I'm so sorry, sir. I'm awfully clumsy today."

"No need for apologies." the old man replied with a laugh. "I like seeing young people so full of energy! But, if you're perchance looking for the two girls with the ventriloquist dummy, the section they were sitting in uses the exit on the opposite side of the stands."

"Th-thank you!" Adelaide exclaimed, changing her direction. However, she stopped within a moment as the realization of what the man had said hit her fully. "Wait! How'd you know that I was-"

She turned around, but he was already lost amongst the crowd.

* * *

"I just don't get it. Driving your sword into the ground like that is not only dangerous, it's bad for the blade." Pokota mumbled in irritation as he followed Lina and Amelia on their way to meet Gourry. "What if the earth had been packed tighter than she'd thought? What if there were bits of rock or concrete underneath? I hope she's got a good whetstone-"

"Give it a rest, Pokota." Lina groaned. "You can lecture  _her_  later."

"Yeah, okay…" the prince sighed, landing on Lina's head. "…it just makes me angry to see people misusing fine craftsmanship like that. That was a  _nice_  sword she had there."

"I know… I'd love to know where she got it." Lina spoke, more to herself than anyone else. "If we could get them to make a sword for Gourry-"

"Excuse me! H-hey! Wait a minute!"

Lina and Amelia stopped abruptly, turning around to see who was yelling. It was a big crowd, and they were sure it must be a call for someone else, but… the sight of the girl who was yelling and waving coming right up to them caught them by surprise.

"…s-sorry… I saw you in the stands, and you left suddenly… I was afraid I wouldn't be able to find you…" Adelaide exclaimed as she stopped to catch her breath. "I hope I didn't startle you or anything."

Lina, Pokota, and Amelia all exchanged confused glances.

"You didn't startle us." Amelia finally spoke up. "But… what is it you want from us?"


	6. Cover Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

**6- Cover Story**

" _Here you go. That's all of it."_

_The coins made a lot of racket spilling out onto the table, but noise was hardly an issue when it was the noise of rattling coins. The young man had counted them out carefully, and made sure that it was all there._

" _The replica sword worked?" Across the table, the small animal and his beastman companion were holding onto the real Sword of Light. The animal had wanted to hand it over right away, but the beastman had stopped him and insisted that they be paid in full first._

" _Yes. They fell for it. There was no indication that they could tell a difference." the boy nodded with a smile. "We… made a deal, and they took the replica sword. That was that."_

_The little animal moved to hand back the original, but the beastman stopped him again. "What sort of deal?"_

" _W-well, they… they said their orders were to bring_ me _back too." the boy replied. "I had to think of something… so I… I made a promise that I'd go into hiding. You have to keep this transaction a secret- if my father finds out that I'm alive, it'll be_ bad _."_

" _So you convinced your brothers to accept the replica sword without a fight in exchange for sparing your life and alleging your death?" the beastman spoke._

" _Half-brothers, but yes."_

" _Young man," the beastman stood up and began walking to the other side of the table, eyeing the boy carefully. "do you know what it means to_ go into hiding _?"_

" _Yes."_

" _Are you sure?"_

" _I'm… pretty sure…"_

" _Pretty sure? As in, changing-your-name, sure? Cutting off all ties with people you once knew and loved, sure? Leaving the life you once led and_ never going back _, sure?"_

"… _I…" The boy glanced down at his feet. "…I'm certain my brother would never-"_

" _Your brother? This is the one you said knew of your plans and would cover for you, right? The one who_ claimed _he would keep it a secret, yet somehow your half-brothers found their way to this village almost as soon as you did with little hesitation or uncertainty?"_

_The boy was silent. "He couldn't have. He wouldn't. He'd die before he-"_

_The conversation came to an abrupt halt._

"… _no… he_ wouldn't _die. He promised-_ we _promised. We said we'd do whatever it took to live. Maybe he was just doing what he had to in order to survive- oh no!" The boy jumped to his feet in shock. "If they threatened him enough to get that answer from him, what else have they made him tell them? I have to help him! What if father finds out that he was in on the plot to steal the sword to begin with? That he encouraged me? That he's not really blind, and for years he's been-"_

" _Stop. Think." The beastman grabbed hold of the boy's shoulder, preventing him from running off. "What will happen if you go back?"_

" _B-but I can't let them hurt him because of me! I have to-"_

" _Didn't you say you'd made a promise to do what you had to in order to survive? Wouldn't going back be breaking that promise?"_

" _But if I don't, he might-"_

" _You have to trust the ones you love. Your brother is a good swordsman, isn't he?"_

_The boy stopped struggling. "…the best I've ever met." he breathed._

" _He can take care of himself, can't he?"_

" _Yes, he can."_

" _He jeopardized your wellbeing in order to save his own life, knowing that you're intelligent and resourceful and would be alright in the end. As long as you trust him, you can do the same."_

"… _I_ did _promise…"_

_The little animal watching the conversation finally decided that it was his turn to intervene. He grabbed the Sword of Light and a handful of the coins and brought them over to the boy._

" _Here. Take your sword back- and a little something extra to help you get to Sairaag."_

" _R-really?" the boy blinked. "Are you sure?"_

" _Hey, we don't want you to resort to stealing to get where you want to go, do we?"_

_The boy hugged the sword to his chest, gripping the coins tightly in his hand. "…I can't thank you enough for this. For the replica and everything. If it weren't for you, who knows what would've happened to me?"_

* * *

"You didn't startle us." Amelia finally spoke up. "But… what is it you want from us?"

Adelaide suddenly seemed to forget what it was she wanted to say, and she tugged at her skirt awkwardly. She was looking at the ground, so it was hard to tell who she was trying to address. "W-well, uh… the thing is… I just… I saw you in the stands while I was fighting, and… I know we don't know each other or anything… but it made me so happy, and I just… I wanted to… um… for you, I… uh…" She seemed to realize she wasn't making any sense, and that just made her face redder. Frantically, she dug into the bag that she had over her shoulder and pulled out the rose she'd been given, thrusting it in Lina and Pokota's direction. "Here!"

Lina flinched, but Pokota didn't seem to realize what was going on. The flower hit him in the face and he produced an animal-like squeal of surprise. Adelaide's eyes opened and she retracted the flower as soon as she saw what had happened.

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to- I mean- I just-"

"Hey, calm down." Lina murmured, reaching out for the rose. Adelaide handed it to her, and she then passed it on to the little animal that was still half-stunned, sitting on her head. "If you'd wanted to give him the flower, you should've just said so."

"Um… well… actually…"

"For me?" Pokota gasped, shaking his head to dispel his former confusion and taking the rose in his hands. "Gee, I don't know what to say. Th-thanks…"

"How sweet! It even matches your cape!" Amelia cooed.

"This is really kind of you." Pokota continued, using the flower to adorn the tie of his cape. "How's that? Does that look good?"

"Y-yeah." Adelaide mumbled. "I'm sorry to bother you. I'll go now-"

"Adelaide, wait." Lina stepped in and grabbed hold of the girl's arm as she began walking away.

There was a pause in which Adelaide stood still. She then turned slowly towards Lina, her earlier embarrassment seemingly having disappeared.

"…how do you know my name?"

Lina had to think for a moment to figure out the most tactful way of putting it. "I've, uh, heard about you. I'm here on behalf of the Ruvinigald Kingdom-"

Adelaide's eyes widened. "You're… from the government?"

"N-no, that's not-"

" _Hey! Lina!_ "

Lina wasn't sure whether to cringe or breathe a sigh of relief at the sound of Gourry's voice. He came running, waving one hand with a big smile on his face. It was only when he caught up to the group and noticed Adelaide that his expression changed to one of curiosity.

"Whoa, where'd you come from? I thought there was something you needed to do?"

"Th-there was…" Adelaide's face flushed and she averted her gaze. "But that's been, uh, taken care of."

"She came by to give a rose to Mister Pokota!" Amelia chimed, pointing out the flower that currently adorned the little animal's cape. Pokota blushed sheepishly in response.

"You don't have to make a big deal out of it…"

"Hey, why didn't you tell me you had your eye on Pokota?" Gourry asked, picking the stuffed animal up off Lina's head and placing him in Adelaide's hands. "We're friends! I could hook you up!"

"Th-thanks, but… no thanks." Adelaide tried to hand Pokota back to Gourry, eliciting an outburst from the prince.

"Hey, hey! Don't hand me back and forth like I'm some inanimate object!"

Gourry ignored him. He was too focused on something else.

"Speaking of roses, I thought I'd come give this to you."

Lina stared at the flower Gourry had offered her, almost afraid to take it. "F-for me?" she stammered.

"Well, you're always talking about roses- something about pretty roses having thorns, right? It reminded me of you…"

Lina felt awkward all of a sudden, but she accepted the flower as gracefully as possible, holding it close. Seeing the participants with the roses, she'd fully expected Gourry to hand it off to the first girl he met, or perhaps even Adelaide, dismissing her hope of receiving his favor as a childish fantasy. "Th-thank you, Gourry."

"…'cause this rose has a _lot_ of thorns!"

" _GOURRY!"_

Maybe it wasn't such a heartfelt gesture after all.

"Um, should I… leave you guys alone…?" Adelaide took a step back and pointed away from the group. "I don't want to intrude-"

"Please, wait a moment." Amelia reached out to her. "We'd like to talk to you. Is that alright?"

"What about?" Adelaide asked nervously. "I've told the government _everything_ \- I don't know what they still expect to-"

"I'm not from Ruvinigald. I have no ties to Ruvinigald." Amelia assured her. "I apologize for not introducing myself earlier- I'm Princess Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun, of the kingdom of Seyruun."

"P-Princess?" Adelaide stammered. "I'm sorry, your highness, I had no idea-"

"Don't worry about it." Amelia replied with a smile. "Of course you wouldn't know- we've never met, right?"

"Well, that's true." Adelaide scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "But I lived in Seyruun for a few years, so I really should know that."

"While we're getting introductions out of the way, I'm Prince Posel Korba Taforashia, of the kingdom of Taforashia." Pokota extended a hand to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Adelaide."

"Prince." Adelaide breathed, and quickly bowed. "I'm so sorry for all the confusion. Thank you for accepting my token of…" She paused, staring at the rose in his cape, trying to decide on a word. "…gratitude."

"Thank you for extending it to me." Pokota replied. "You really don't have to be so nervous. We don't want to intimidate you. We're just curious."

"Curious about what? About how the Ruvinigald government is taking my inheritance away for no good reason?"

"Yes, actually, we are." Lina had finally distributed what she deemed the proper amount of punishment to Gourry and returned to the conversation. "Would it be alright if we spoke with you privately about it?"

Adelaide averted her gaze. "Why?"

"Because we know you're innocent and we want to prove it." Gourry replied before anyone else could get a word in edgewise. "We'll do whatever it takes- just trust us."

Lina balked. The last thing she wanted was for Gourry to make promises that they couldn't keep, but she couldn't take back what he'd already said.

Adelaide's facial expression made it clear that she hadn't expected that response. "Y-you mean it?" she gasped.

"Of course. That's why we want to know what's going on." Gourry nodded. "You'll allow us that, won't you?"

"Yes! I'll tell you everything- I have nothing to hide, I promise!"

The group exchanged glances between one another. That was a lot easier than they thought it would be.

* * *

"I'm not good at just talking. You're going to have to ask me some questions."

Adelaide sat on the edge of a fountain in one of the city's newly-established parks. The group had eaten a light evening meal on the festival grounds and then made their way to an area that was private enough for their purposes. Lina and Gourry sat next to Adelaide on the fountain and Amelia and Pokota on the other side, so as to make it feel more like a friendly conversation than an interrogation. They all knew that Adelaide was not under any oath, so they had to be skeptical of what she was saying.

"I suppose I'll ask the first question." Lina spoke up in response. "Can you tell us a little about your relationship with your mother?"

"My mother? What do you know about my mother?" Adelaide blinked in surprise.

Lina's expression remained neutral. "I'll give you our answer after you give us yours."

"Okay. Do you want the canned spiel for social services, or the _real_ story now that I'm no longer a minor?"

"You decide." Lina replied. "You promised to tell us the truth, so you choose which one is closer to your truth."

Adelaide was quiet a moment. " _My_ truth, huh? That's an interesting way to put it. My feelings for my mother are… impossible to put into words."

"Impossible?"

"Well, impossible without resorting to words that should never taint the mouth of a proper lady."

Lina's eyebrows raised in surprise. "You feel very passionate about it, then."

"It's tough." Adelaide murmured, staring down at her feet as she began to swing them back and forth. "I've read enough books to know that the honorable thing to do is to say 'you've wronged me, but I don't hate you.' I know you're supposed to forgive people, especially after their deaths. But, no matter how hard I try, I can't do it. I can't help but _hate_ my mother. I know she's family, but she… she _hurt_ me."

"I can't say I don't understand your feelings." Lina replied softly. "Trust me."

"Really?"

"But we're talking about your family, not mine."

"R-right." Adelaide nodded. "It would be one thing if it was just what she did to me, but she… she killed my dad in cold blood. She murdered him with no regard for the sake of anyone or anything besides her own twisted desires… my step-father, I mean. I never knew my birth father, but I suppose she killed him too. I don't understand why she married if all she wanted were victims to die by her sword."

"… _some people are into some really kinky stuff…"_ Lina mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. I didn't say anything."

"What's your connection to my mother anyway? You're not… the Lina Inverse who was present when she was overtaken by the Zanaffar armor and consumed to feed the-" Adelaide stopped abruptly, seeing Lina's grave expression. "-n-no. You couldn't be. You… all of you…"

"We were there- all four of us." Amelia spoke up. "I'm so sorry, Miss Adelaide."

"The one who killed her was a dear friend of mine." Pokota added on. "He wanted revenge for what she'd done for Taforashia. The Ruvinigald authorities insisted that she get a fair trial, but… Duclis wouldn't allow it. He activated the Zanaffar within her and, in doing so, killed her-"

" _He_ killed her? I refuse to believe that!" Adelaide jumped to her feet, the tears she'd held back finally streaming down her face. "It was her own doing. She was the one who had the Zanaffar armor made in the first place. Fair trial, my foot- where was the _fair trial_ when she used me as nothing more than a glorified lab rat? Where was the _fair trial_ when she murdered each one of her four husbands, my father included? Where was the _fair trial_ for all the Ruvinigald citizens that she stole from and lied to-?"

"THAT'S ENOUGH." Lina's voice echoed around the empty park. "Let's focus on another question."

"Y-yes, of course." Adelaide sat down, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.

"How about this?" Pokota piped up from his perch on Amelia's shoulder. "If you hate your mother so much, why are you so determined to get your hands on her estate? You have access to her money- isn't that enough? What has so much sentimental value that you'd risk allegations of such terrible crimes for it?"

"That is," Lina spoke up. "assuming that you really _aren't_ continuing your mother's experiments like you say."

"Her _experiments_?" Adelaide gasped. "You mean the ones that robbed me of my childhood and nearly destroyed my life? I've seen firsthand how people get hurt in experiments like that- I'd _never_ inflict that on _anyone_! I-I couldn't… see someone suffer… like I did…" By the time her voice finally trailed off, tears were pooling at the edge of her eyes again, and she wiped them away with a sniffle before continuing. "I'd be happy to let the rest of her belongings be destroyed like her castle was. But, unfortunately…"

There was a pause, and the girl stared down at her feet. Lina had to admit, if Adelaide was lying, she was doing one heck of a job.

"…when my mother killed each of her husbands, she mounted their swords for display in a private room somewhere in her summer home in Lyzeille. My step-father- _my dad-_ was the one who taught me everything I know about swordfighting. He _loved_ the art. That was the whole reason he married my mother: so that he could focus on the art behind his technique without worrying about money or a livelihood. To think of his prized sword being hung on a wall like the head of a deer is… sickening." Adelaide took a deep breath and sat down again. "I want my dad's sword back. I want it to feel the thrill of battle again. I feel that it's… what my dad would've wanted. Is that strange?"

"Not at all." Gourry responded, reaching over Lina to grab hold of one of Adelaide's hands.

Lina scooted back somewhat to give Gourry an easier time reaching out to Adelaide. "If the sword is all you want, why can't you just ask for it? I'm sure that, if you agree to surrender the rest of the estate, the government would be more than happy to give you just that one sword."

"I wish it were that simple." Adelaide replied, still gripping Gourry's hand tightly. "My mother collected hundreds of swords. There's no way that someone without the knowledge of what my dad's sword looked like could ever find it. I've tried to draw a picture of it from memory, but… it's been so long, I can't recall all the details. I'd know it if I saw it, and I've asked to go search for it myself, but, well… you can see how well that went."

"Where is this summer home?" Amelia asked.

"It's Chateau Augustine, on Kachemak Bay, northern coast of Lyzeille."

"Oh." The princess gave a gasp of surprise. "Very… _remote_."

"Kachemak Bay? That's surrounded by a wildlife preserve." Lina agreed. "There's literally _nothing_ there."

Adelaide shrugged. "Mother always did like her privacy."

"So what you're saying is," Lina began, crossing her arms as she delved deeper into thought. "if we go to Chateau Augustine and get you the sword you want so badly, you'll drop all claim to the estate and leave it in the hands of the Ruvinigald government?"

"Yes." Adelaide responded firmly. "The sword is all I want."

There was a pause in which the members of the group glanced at one another. Lina grabbed Gourry and Adelaide's wrists, pulling their hands apart so that she could stand up. "Lady Adelaide, would you mind if I conversed with my companions for a few minutes?"

"Take all the time you need." Adelaide replied.

* * *

"I think she's telling the truth."

"I agree. There doesn't seem to be any indication that she's lying."

Amelia and Pokota voiced their opinions outright and without hesitation. Lina had expected as much- Amelia was the type to be easily swayed by an emotional story, and Pokota's personal grudge against Gioconda over the Taforashia incident naturally made him someone who'd sympathize with Adelaide's alleged plight.

"I understand your reasoning, Amelia, Pokota. But you have to remember that you're royalty. The decisions that you make in regards to this case will have international effects."

"We know that." Amelia replied. "Believing Miss Adelaide's story and acting on it are two very different things. While I hate to see a girl my own age wrongly accused of such a terrible crime, I understand that my actions could cause trouble for Seyruun if Ruvinigald decides that I'm obstructing justice."

"Ruvinigald and Taforashia are already in a very fragile state of affairs. I know I have to be careful in deciding how to act." Pokota agreed. His tone turned fervent as his emotions rose higher. "But this girl has been wronged by the same woman who wronged my people! How could I turn my back on her?!"

Lina grabbed him by the back of his cape, pulling the rose out of the tie in the front. "I'm not asking you not to support her." she spoke, tapping him on the nose with the flower. "I'm asking you to think with your head, not with your heart. Okay?"

Pokota blushed slightly. "Wh-what are you implying? I always think with my head!"

"Of course you do. You're a prince, after all." Lina shrugged and handed the rose back to him. "So, what about you, Gourry? You've been awfully quiet."

"I've made my opinion clear."

"And you, Miss Lina?" Amelia asked.

Lina closed her eyes and thought for a moment. "I guess, while I'm suspicious of Adelaide, I'm also suspicious of this whole setup. Something about this doesn't feel right to me, and the only way to find out what's _really_ going on is to dig deeper. If supporting Adelaide will do that, then that's what I'll do."

Amelia and Pokota, assuming that Lina's statement finalized the conversation, turned back around and ran to Adelaide with words of encouragement and support. Lina sighed, hoping desperately that they weren't making promises they couldn't keep, and began walking back to the fountain. Gourry, however, reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Huh? What are you-?"

"Listen. There's something important you should know."

Gourry's expression was stern, and it made Lina nervous. "What do you mean?"

"I trust that Adelaide is telling the truth when she says she's innocent. All that she told us about her relationship with her mother- I don't doubt her honesty. But… just now… when I was holding her hand and she said that her dad's sword was the only thing she wanted from her mother's estate- she was lying."


	7. Choosing Sides

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As per usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

**7- Choosing Sides**

" _He's around her somewhere- he's_ got _to be!"_

" _I've checked this area already. There's no sign of him. It's like he's disappeared-"_

" _You idiot! There's no way that's possible! You're starting to sound just like him-"_

" _-no way I'd ever talk like that stupid excuse for a-"_

" _-less talking, more searching, you two! If we don't get that sword back before father gets home, it'll be_ our _lives on the line!"_

" _Why'd father have to marry a second time anyway? Those two brats have been nothing but trouble since the day they were born."_

" _They must've planned this. One steals the sword and fails, the other waiting to swipe it from under our noses when our guard was down…."_

_The young man's sharp ears easily picked up the voices of his half-brothers as they tore through the dark forest. He was 99% certain that they wouldn't find him in the small cavern in which he'd taken shelter, but the 1% of uncertainty was clawing at his stomach. His chest felt tight- since the moment he had heard of his little brother's death, sharp, grievous sobs had been tearing through his mind, begging to be released. But, if he cried now, he would give himself away. Even if his brother's promise to stay alive had been broken, his still stood._

_In the meantime, he clutched the Sword of Light close to his chest. The upheaval of the past few hours had completely changed his mentality. To hell with waiting until he was eighteen- his little brother had_ died _to get this sword away from their abusive family. The little brother_ he _was supposed to protect._

 _There were a lot of thoughts that had run through his mind before then, and which would run through his mind in the years to come:_ should'ves, could'ves, would'ves… _but now he wasn't letting that cloud his vision. He'd removed the eye-patch that he'd worn for years to conceal the sight in his right eye, and suddenly it was as though the entire world had opened up. He could see_ everything _._

_And he hoped no one could see him._

Please, please… they can't find me. _he thought to himself fervently._ I'm a jellyfish. I'm transparent. Light goes right through me. They'll never be able to find a jellyfish… surely…

* * *

Lina stared at him speechlessly for a moment. "How do you know that?"

"As a swordsman, I have to be in tune to nuances in body language. When someone's lying, it's often easy to tell by their breathing and heart rate. I don't know what else she wants from the chateau-whatever-it's-called, or why she isn't willing to tell us, but… I thought you needed to know that."

"…I see…" Lina murmured softly. "I had a feeling that her desires weren't so open-and-shut, but not knowing what it is she wants makes me nervous. Maybe this is a bad idea-"

"Excuse me."

"AAH!" Lina and Gourry were so wrapped up in their conversation, they hadn't been paying attention to their surroundings. " _Z-Zelgadis_!" Lina gasped. "What are you doing here? Where've you been?"

"Well, for the past thirty minutes, looking for you two." The chimera growled, crossing his arms in annoyance. "What have you been doing all day? You said that you were going to interview Pokota and then report back immediately to Inspector Mor-"

"Yeah, yeah, we know what we said." Lina interrupted him, reaching up to grab hold of the back of his shirt collar. "But forget that for a minute, will you? There's someone you need to meet."

"But-" Zelgadis was unable to get a word in edgewise before Lina grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the fountain. Amelia had been talking with Pokota and Adelaide, but upon hearing the group approaching, she turned to look at them. Her eyes immediately lit up and a big smile covered her face.

" _Zelgadis_!" Amelia ran toward him, looking ready to embrace him, and Lina let go of his arm to give the couple room. Instead of hugging Zelgadis, Amelia grabbed hold of both of his hands and twirled him around a few times before dizzily stumbling into his arms. She giggled, looking up at him playfully.

"Amelia, I'm working right now." Zelgadis put his hand on the top of her head and pushed her gently away. "Inspector Morrigan made it clear that he needs to speak with Lina and Gourry _immediately_. He doesn't seem like the patient type, so it's probably better that we go ahead and-"

It was as though his entire train of thought had suddenly ended. Amelia saw him looking intently in the direction she'd run from, his ears perked up and his skin bristling like an animal that had sensed a threat.

"…Amelia… who is _that_?"

Amelia nervously glanced backwards. "You mean… Miss Adelaide?"

" _That's_ Lady Adelaide?"

"Yes. That's who Miss Lina and Mister Gourry wanted to introduce you to. Here, let's-"

"Ow, ow! Hey! Watch those fingernails!" Pokota's voice carried over the sound of the fountain and the other conversations and caught the rest of the group's attention. Adelaide, who'd been examining his ears just the moment before, let go of her grip that had suddenly tightened for no discernable reason.

"I-I'm so sorry, Prince!" Adelaide blushed, glancing in every direction except for Pokota's. "I don't know what got into me! I guess I got nervous all of a sudden and I…" She stopped and looked up, her gaze drawn directly to where Amelia and Zelgadis were standing. "…ah. H-hello." The girl gave a polite bow in their direction.

"Zelgadis, this is Lady Adelaide, of the Ruvinigald Kingdom." Amelia motioned. "Miss Adelaide, this is Sir Zelgadis Greywords, a knight of Seyruun who is currently employed by the Ruvinigald Kingdom." She stood between them as though trying to facilitate a friendly handshake, but that didn't happen. Adelaide began to reach out to Zelgadis as though she were going to shake his hand, but then drew it back nervously before it got very far. Zelgadis, meanwhile, had his hands buried in his pockets.

"Nice to meet you, Sir Greywords." Adelaide gave a polite curtsey. "…um…"

"It's nice to meet _you_ , Lady Adelaide." Zelgadis simply nodded his head. "Now, if Lina and Gourry will just-"

"MISS LINA? MISTER GOURRY?"

Zelgadis cringed. " _Great_. Now _I'm_ the one who's going to be in trouble."

Inspector Morrigan stormed across the empty park, making a beeline for where Lina and Gourry were standing, waving one hand wildly. Meg was following him as fast as she could, which wasn't very fast with the nervous, delicate way she always walked, and she was trailing behind somewhat. Lina walked forward to meet Morrigan halfway, a smile on her face, but he didn't respond with the same enthusiasm.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL THIS TIME? YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO MEET BACK WITH US AS SOON AS YOU FINISHED GATHERING EVIDENCE PRINCE POSEL-" The man stopped yelling only when he noticed the group of people who were gathered around the fountain. "-now, who is this?"

" _As you can see_ ," Lina began in irritation, never happy to be yelled at, "this _is_ Prince Posel, along with some of his companions. We weren't finished with the negotiations yet."

"What's all this about evidence?" Pokota ran over and jumped up onto the little platform Lina had made for him with her hands so that he could speak with Morrigan face to face. "Miss Lina and her bodyguard approached me about the potential for repairing the already rocky relationship between Taforashia and Ruvinigald through a series of business deals. I didn't realize that my answers were being analyzed as… evidence in a court case?"

Morrigan's face paled slightly. "Y-your highness, I… I didn't mean… er… that's-"

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry. I figured something was up, so I managed to pull the information about the investigation from Lina and Gourry. They were adamant about maintaining the secrecy of their mission, so I'm surprised that their employer would be so casual about releasing the information he insisted that they keep hidden."

Inspector Morrigan glanced around helplessly, his mouth hanging open as he tried to figure out what to do. Meg finally caught up to him, grabbing hold of his arm in an attempt to comfort him.

"Thanks for the support Pokota, but there's no need to be so hard on Inspector Morrigan." Lina patted the little animal's head gently. "He's just a little overzealous about his job, that's all."

"Y-yes, I…" Morrigan's shoulders were hunched over and he spoke toward the ground at first, then picking his head up and declaring the rest of his sentence confidently. "I've discovered evidence that should allow us to close this case once and for all."

There was a silence as the group took in what Inspector Morrigan had said. Lina and Gourry glanced at one another, their eyes lighting up.

"Really?" Gourry gasped. "You hear that, Adelaide? That settles it!"

Adelaide, who had been sitting in the back, out of sight of the inspector, suddenly ran forward to join them in the front. "Is that true?" she gasped.

Inspector Morrigan blinked a few times, staring at her. " _You_ are… Lady Adelaide?"

"Yes, I am."

"Good. That makes things so much easier."

_CLICK_

"Lady Adelaide, you are hereby under arrest, by authority of the Ruvinigald Kingdom. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right-"

" _WHAT_?!" Adelaide shrieked, tugging at the handcuffs around her wrists. She looked desperately over to the rest of the group. "Wh-what's going on? I thought you said that you were going to help me prove my _innocence_!"

"-to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed-"

"We _are_!" Lina yelled, positioning herself between Inspector Morrigan and Adelaide as best she could. "Inspector, what do you think you're doing?"

"What am I doing? I'm arresting this criminal, of course." Morrigan barked in reply. "Meg and I have uncovered more than enough evidence than would be needed to convince a jury to indict her. This woman is going to be imprisoned for a _very_ long time… should the judge be so lenient."

"…evidence…?" Lina murmured, turning now to look at Adelaide.

"I don't know what he's talking about!" Adelaide shrieked again, starting to sob. "I didn't do anything! Everything I told you just now was the truth! You've gotta believe me, PLEASE-"

Lina's accusatory glare turned from Adelaide back to the inspector. "Inspector Morrigan, how reliable do you consider this information that you've just received? You ever heard of a _frame job_?"

Morrigan didn't respond to the question. "Miss Inverse, I have not yet finished reading this woman her rights. If you do not move out of the way, I'll have to arrest you for obstruction of justice." His stern expression softened slightly as he continued in a whisper. " _Please_. I _need_ this case."

After a tense pause, Lina finally gave a sigh and answered. "Well, then. I might as well move out of the way. I wouldn't want to get arrested _twice_ by the Ruvinigald Kingdom."

"…pardon?" Morrigan questioned. "Twice?"

"Huh? You haven't heard about my criminal background? Don't tell me Ruvinigald has cleared my record after all that happened." Lina spoke casually, examining her fingernails in a show of blatant disinterest in the conversation. "It was a pretty bogus charge, but I was undeniably guilty. If your government is corrupt enough to drop charges against a guilty party just because it's convenient for them, how can I trust that they won't convict an innocent party when that's what's convenient?"

Inspector Morrigan's whole body seemed to tense up. "Th-that's irrelevant in this situation!"

"Maybe so." Lina shrugged. "But I just thought you should know what kind of stock I put in Ruvinigald's idea of 'justice.' Why don't you tell me just where you received this miraculous bundle of evidence first?"

"I spoke with an informant who wishes to remain anonymous." Morrigan responded curtly. "I cannot breach our agreement of confidentiality."

Lina clicked her tongue disdainfully. "Well, isn't that a shame?"

"I have documentation! The information checks out!"

"You're sure? Of information you just got today? From an anonymous tip?"

"I trust information from an impartial source more than I trust testimony from the alleged criminal!"

"That's too bad." Lina reached for the handcuffs. "C'mon, Adelaide. What do you say we go search for some hard evidence-"

"LINA INVERSE." Morrigan barked before her hand could reach the metal. "Lay one hand on those handcuffs and I _will_ arrest you on obstruction of justice charges. That is punishable by up to five years in prison- I _beg_ of you, _STOP_."

Lina smirked. "You'll have to catch me first. _BURST RONDO!"_

There were various yelps throughout the park area, and the air was clouded with smoke and debris. Immediately, Lina scooped up Adelaide in her arms and chanted a _raywing_ spell under her breath. All she cared about was that she and Adelaide make a clean getaway- they were the only ones that Morrigan had reason to arrest, after all. Lina's friends would be able to get up with her later. That wasn't the main concern.

"Hey, hey- quiet down, would you?" Lina scolded. Adelaide had been screaming nonstop since the initial spell, and it was getting annoying.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the girl shot back, "were my SCREAMS OF TERROR bothering you?!"

It seemed that she had more of an attitude than Lina had originally given her credit for. "You're officially on the run from the law. Do you want to lead the police straight to us while you're still in handcuffs?"

"I-" Adelaide began, but closed her mouth again with a sigh. "…at least let me fly on my own. I'm a sorceress too, y'know."

"No-can-do, princess. I've officially put my butt on the line for you, so I'm responsible for your well-being. Besides, now that the smoke's almost cleared, we'll have to go it on foot. Being in the air is too noticeable."

"But-!" Adelaide's attempts at protesting were in vain. Lina's plans were already firm, as though she'd been preparing for this possibility for a long time.

Lina landed on the ground but kept Adelaide in her arms, surveying the area and trying to get her bearings. "The best thing to do would be to get out of Zoana as quickly as possible. The country's so small, it's practically a city-state, and as soon as they know that there's a fugitive of the law within the boundaries, they'll step up border security. We've got to get out of here before that happens-"

"Lina. Hand her over."

The voice caught both Lina and her new companion off-guard. The air was still hazy and Lina was sure that no one had been able to see the direction she and Adelaide had flown, yet there in front of them, blocking their path, was a familiar face. He was holding his sword in a defensive position, the blade dyed a deep red with infused magic.

"Z-Zelgadis! How did you-" Lina gasped, shifting the position of the girl in her arms and attempting to turn around. Zelgadis was fast, however, and he kept cutting her off wherever she turned.

"We don't have time for this, you two! Adelaide, put your hands up."

"Not a chance!" Lina assumed it was alright to answer for Adelaide. She wasn't going to back down, no matter what the girl's personal resolve was.

Zelgadis was suddenly directly in front of them, his sword raised above them and poised to strike. "Adelaide, put your hands up."

"PLEASE!" Desperately, Adelaide followed his instructions before Lina could do anything. "Don't hurt me, please!"

_KRACK!_

Zelgadis' magically-infused sword cut through the chain on the handcuffs easily, broken bits of metal falling onto the ground in front of them. As soon as the chain was cut, the magic around the sword dissipated and Zelgadis placed the weapon back in its sheath.

"We'll get the cuffs off your wrists later, but for now you at least have the freedom to move your arms. There's an underground tunnel system connecting Zoana with some of the neighboring countries. I'll show you where the entrance is- we can take the tunnel north to Selmatt and then west through Ralteague until we get past the Ralteague-Lyzeille border. Once we're in the country, we won't have to worry about border security and we can take some of the back roads up to Kachemak Bay."

Zelgadis was running ahead of them, but Adelaide was still staring at the broken chain on her handcuffs and Lina was confused.

"Zel, you… you're on _our_ side?"

"Obviously. Now let's get going. We can't wait around and let Inspector Morrigan catch up with us."

Lina exchanged a glance with Adelaide, the latter looking so helpless and frightened that Lina couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"You heard the man." Lina finally had to grab hold of Adelaide's arm. "Let's go. We can't afford to wait any longer."

"Wh-what about Gourry? And Prince Posel?" Adelaide stammered.

"Gourry's a smart guy, even if he doesn't seem it. He always catches up eventually." Lina spoke as she pulled Adelaide along. "But, as for Amelia and Pokota, it'll be best not to get them involved. They're royalty, and taking part in a scandal like this could cause a major stir."

"…ah…" Adelaide murmured, though she looked disappointed.

Through the haze, Lina was able to pick out the shape of a large building drawing closer. "This way." Zelgadis motioned, dashing up the front steps onto the porch.

"What are we doing? This is the game warden's office and private home." Adelaide protested. "We can't go in here-"

"Don't be silly. This is where the tunnel lets out." Zelgadis interrupted, digging into his pocket and pulling out the pin he always used to pick locks. "Zoana certainly isn't an evil country, but it's not a rich country either, and any money that they can make off of poaching and the black market is fair game in their eyes. The warden and her subordinates use this tunnel system to smuggle illegal animals and plants to other countries to be sold, and then bring the money back to Zoana where it's distributed in small amounts to poor families who agree to put it all into the local economy."

"And isn't it the greatest joy of all when something used for evil purposes can be used instead for Justice?"

Zelgadis was leaning so heavily on the door, he almost fell over when it opened. " _Amelia_!" he gasped. "What do you think you're doing here?!"

"Lending you a hand, of course." Amelia smiled proudly. "Mister Gourry and Mister Pokota have already found the tunnel door and are prying it open as we speak."

"How did you get here before we did?"

"You went to find Miss Lina and Miss Adelaide, while we ran straight here."

"But- I mean-"

Lina pushed Zelgadis into the house and then pulled Adelaide in after them so that she could slam the door. "Hurry up! We can discuss this later- when we're not in danger of getting caught."

"R-right."


	8. Frame of Mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delay on this chapter. As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy.

 

**8- Frame of Mind**

There were no lights in the tunnel, so Lina and her friends took turns supplying  _lighting_ spells. It was obvious that it was a pre-existing solution cave that had been widened by man-made tools into a passageway. It was damp and cold, but at least there seemed to be no sign that anyone had discovered them.

The entrance to the tunnel had been underneath the bed in the back bedroom. Gourry had moved the bed just enough for everyone to climb down the slippery rope ladder into the cavern below, and Pokota was small enough that he was able to put the bed back in place before climbing into the tunnel and closing the door behind them.

"…it's cold in here. How far are we walking?" Adelaide finally asked after the group had continued on for some time without conversation.

"As far as it takes to get to Lyzeille." Zelgadis replied. "It'll be almost ten kilometers north to Selmatt, and then west another kilometer or two into Ralteague. We'll continue aboveground then until the tunnels pick up close to the Lyzeille border- once we're  _in_ Lyzeille, we won't have to worry about tight border security and can travel more easily."

"Won't we be wanted, though?" Gourry asked. "We  _are_ harboring a supposedly dangerous criminal. There'll be people all over looking for us."

"It's not like we haven't been wanted before." Lina muttered, staring at the ceiling in an attempt to avoid the drops of water that kept hitting her head. "We've seen our mugs on way more wanted posters than I'd ever care to. That's never slowed us down."

"But what about Amelia and Pokota?" Zelgadis asked. "Even though they're here willingly- or so I assume- their lack of outward support for Adelaide in the beginning will probably lead officials to believe they've been kidnapped."

" _AH!"_ Pokota growled in frustration. "I wasn't thinking this through! If the prince of Taforashia is kidnapped by a criminal of the Ralteague kingdom, relations between the two countries will get even worse! It's already bad- this could start a  _war_."

"No..." Adelaide breathed, stopping and putting a hand over her mouth.

"M-my dad wouldn't let that happen." Amelia quickly intervened. "He knows the relationship I have with Miss Lina. There's no way that she could ever kidnap me, and surely he'll vouch the same for Mister Pokota… Seyruun won't let Ralteague and Taforashia go to war."

"But Amelia, how is Seyruun going to do that, exactly?" Lina put a hand on Amelia's shoulder to stop her. "It seems to me that, with the situation the way things are, Seyruun's alliance is going to have to fall with Taforashia. Ralteague might see the alliance of such a large, powerful country with Taforashia as a threat. Not to mention, if Phil were to reveal that you were not kidnapped, but actually helping to harbor a Ralteague fugitive… things are going to go south really quickly."

"Ralteague may be too divided to put up a united front, though." Zelgadis murmured. "If it comes to light that I helped Lady Adelaide and Lina escape, my friend Dr. Wilson might end up taking my side, causing other academic branches of the government to doubt the validity of the Bureau of Investigation's claims."

"You're really that close?" Lina asked.

"Dr. Wilson and I go back a long time, well before he hired me. Well before I… uh…" Zelgadis' voice cut off. "Well, he knew me as a kid, so you can take that and run with it."

"Huh." Lina crossed her arms and smirked. "And here I thought you got this job off of pure talent."

"I  _did-_ "

"Now's not the time to be joking about things, Lina!" Pokota yelled, perching on her head to better be able to scold her. "This could cause major international turmoil! My country could be on the brink of war!"

Finally overcome with the emotion, Adelaide crumpled onto the floor with a burst of tears. "I-I'm so sorry… Prince, Princess… Sir Greywords… Gourry… Miss Lina… It's all my fault you and your countries are in such a mess! You've sacrificed so much on my behalf… I…"

Amelia, Pokota, and Gourry all moved toward the girl as though to comfort her, but Lina stopped them with a stern glare that was perfectly visible, even in the dim light.

"You're right. We  _have_  sacrificed a lot on your behalf. We've made a commitment to you. Like it or not, there's no take-backs." Lina reached down and grabbed Adelaide by her necklace, tugging her back to her feet. The sorceress didn't let the height difference faze her- she'd learned plenty of tactics for intimidating people much taller than she was. "So, no matter what, we're supporting you. If we changed our minds, it could ruin our reputations. You have nothing to fear from us. You can be honest. If you're guilty you  _must tell us now._ Do you understand?"

Adelaide took a deep breath and swallowed back tears. "I'm not guilty. I didn't do anything. I promise you _._ "

Lina scrutinized the girl's expression for a moment and then turned around to look at one of her companions. "Gourry?"

Without hesitating, Gourry walked back and got between the two, grabbing hold of Adelaide's hand. "Say that again." he commanded.

"I'm innocent." Adelaide breathed. "I  _promise_."

Gourry let go of her hand immediately and turned to the others. "She's telling the truth."

After a moment of silence, Lina nodded her head. "Then she's been framed. That's not your fault, Adelaide…" She paused before continuing "…unless there's someone you know of who'd want you in trouble with the law."

"I don't know anyone like that." Adelaide insisted.

"You sure? No hot-blooded rivals? No declared enemies? No ex-boyfriends?"

"No, no, and that accusation pisses me off." Adelaide shot back curtly.

"H-hey," Lina waved her hands innocently. "I was just trying to cover all my bases."

Adelaide shot a cursory glance over Lina's costume. "Yeah. They're covered alright."

"I think it would be obvious who's doing the framing!" Amelia interrupted, calling from the front of the group. "The mastermind behind these crimes is the mysterious Mister Abaddon, right? So wouldn't it make sense that Mister Abaddon is doing the framing?"

"Actually, I don't think so." Lina spoke up.

"Huh?"

"Here's the thing." Lina was still suffering from the constant dripping of water off the ceiling, and pulled the back of her cape over her head to shield her hair. "A thief or a murderer could easily frame someone for their crime after the fact. Plant some evidence, get the frame-ee arrested, and that would be that. The crime would've already taken place and the criminal would have profited with no repercussions. But in this situation, Abaddon's crimes are  _still going on_. Abaddon would never frame someone for his current activities because that would bring them to light in the eyes of the law, making it easier for law enforcement to shut the whole operation down."

"So you're saying that someone framed Lady Adelaide to get to Abaddon?" Gourry asked.

"It's gotta be an enemy of Abaddon, then." Pokota piped up. "That's why the information given to Inspector Morrigan was to remain anonymous. Someone wants to get Abaddon in trouble without actually crossing him, so they're providing all the information about the crime and using Adelaide as a scapegoat in order to put a stop to it."

"So… the framers are good guys, then?" Amelia thought out loud.

Pokota's fur bristled as he growled in response. "There's  _no way_  that somebody who frames an innocent person is a good guy!"

"If the framer is going to use Lady Adelaide as their scapegoat knowing that she's innocent, I doubt that it's justice that they're going for." Zelgadis offered. "If this Abaddon character is as bad as you say he is, then he's bound to have made quite a few enemies. It could be someone acting out of a personal grudge or a desire for revenge."

"Lady Adelaide, what do you know about Abaddon?" Lina asked.

"W-well…" Adelaide rubbed her bare arms as she walked in an attempt to warm them. "…I assume that  _Abaddon_ is a pen name, since no good criminal would send open correspondences with their real name signed in huge letters like those that my mother received. I don't even know if Abaddon is really a man."

Gourry raised his hand. " _Really a man_  meaning you don't know Abaddon's gender, or  _really a man_  meaning… not human?"

Adelaide scowled. "Take your pick."

"Enough with what you don't know. We asked you what you do." Lina scolded. "What is Abaddon's objective? Is it suspiciously outside the realm of human desires- like, you think he may be a Mazoku?"

"I can't say. I don't think so." Adelaide shook her head. "Abaddon wants to combine both human and Mazoku powers together in one being… which has obviously been done before, but Abaddon wants to do it in such a way that the human side retains all memories, thought processes, and bodily autonomy. The Mazoku side is not to have any control over the being. It must be a purely human-controlled, Mazoku-powered creature."

"So that was the purpose of the Zanaffar armor?" Pokota gasped, flying over to rest on Adelaide's head.

"Yes, but it was a failure." Lina spoke before Adelaide could. "The Zanaffar obtained the memories of its host, but this was merely an add-on to its own consciousness. It was the Demon Beast's own consciousness that remained in control."

"Not Duclis." Pokota pointed out. "Because his transformation was interrupted in the process, his human consciousness remained intact."

"But what about the Zanaffar's power?" Amelia asked. "It's one thing to  _look_ like a Mazoku, but having the powers of one is something completely different."

"Well…"

"Um," Adelaide cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. "I was trying to tell you, at the beginning, my mother wasn't studying Mazoku-human fusion. She was actually researching  _Shinzoku-_ human fusion."

"Really?" Zelgadis asked in reply. "What caused the 180-degree switch?"

"It was Abaddon. That's what I was getting at." the girl responded. "My mother had read many ancient texts about humans obtaining the power of the gods, and she lusted after the power herself. Abaddon somehow found out about my mother's experiments despite her best efforts to keep them hidden- from the clergy, mostly- and sent her a letter about it. He offered to fund her research and use his extensive network of spies to keep the experiments from prying eyes on the condition that she change her objective from Shinzoku power to Mazoku power."

"…and Gioconda agreed, figuring it didn't matter  _what_  power she got her hands on, so long as it was power, right?" Lina finished.

"Mother was always looking for backers to fund her projects. She had very eccentric tastes, and preferred to use the tax money she received to furnish her libraries and galleries rather than throwing it all toward research. Any money she could get out of others, the better."

"We noticed that when we were going through her castle." Gourry muttered.

"It's interesting that Abaddon would have such a preference." Zelgadis murmured. "The desire to retain human sentience in a creature fueled by a Mazoku's power seems like the last thing a Mazoku would want."

Adelaide nodded. "Mother started small, with creatures that were not Mazoku, but whose astral sides most resembled those of Mazoku- Brau demons, for instance. Their magical capabilities are far beyond what humans can achieve while their bodies are weak and difficult to maintain, much in the way a Mazoku's astral energy forms merely a projection on the physical plane."

"Did she ever have success with the Brau demons?" Zelgadis inquired curiously.

"She did, but not before disposing of hundreds of failed test subjects."

" _Human_ test subjects?" Amelia ventured.

"Many of them, yes."

Amelia shuddered with a squeal of distaste. "No way! How could she?"

"She must have had a lot of faith that the Zanaffar armor would work, given that she tried it on herself." Lina mused, thinking out loud. "A woman who obviously had such easy access to disposable test subjects wouldn't dare use herself unless she was sure it would work like she planned."

"Well, as she began working with more and more powerful Mazoku, the outcomes became harder to control." Adelaide explained. "My mother wrote to Abaddon asking if he could send some clerics in to keep the miasma in check, but he refused. He told her that he wanted White Magic to have no part in these experiments, and that if he found out that she'd hired clerics to work for her he would cut off all support for the project. He even threatened to reveal her to the authorities should she breach this agreement."

"I'm getting the feeling that there was no written contract between Mister Abaddon and Gioconda." Amelia spoke. "It seems like he simply threw money at her and expected her to comply with his wishes. Is this… a correct assumption, Miss Adelaide?"

"As far as I know."

"Then Abaddon could change his rules on her at any moment, and she'd be forced to comply. He'd have complete control over the situation." Pokota murmured. "Gioconda was too cunning of a woman to fall for that. There  _must_  have been more to their agreement."

Adelaide shrugged. "I'm telling you all that I know, okay? I wasn't aware of most of what my mother did behind closed doors. I only know of the Abaddon project because of personal circumstances."

" _Personal circumstances_?" Lina pressed.

"It's… tough to explain. Can I just leave it at that?"

"For now." Lina replied. "We'll give you some time to think of a better way to put it."

With that, it was as though the conversation had unofficially ended. Adelaide fell back toward the back of the group, walking with her arms folded over one another to retain heat. Lina and Gourry started a conversation of their own, and Amelia slowed her pace down somewhat so that she could walk holding onto Zelgadis' hand.

"Amelia, this is not a date. We're in serious trouble here."

"I know that." she huffed. "But I thought I'd at least take comfort in what I know. And I know that, when we're together, we're safe."

Zelgadis gave an amused sigh, but didn't say anything in response, and  _certainly_ didn't pull his hand away from hers. Unable to figure out what to say next, Amelia began speaking again.

"To be honest with you… I was surprised when you took Miss Adelaide's side in all this. I thought you might be skeptical of her claims, but-"

"Oh, I'm skeptical as hell." Zelgadis shot back, and then lowered his voice as he realized that the tunnel echoed slightly. "I trust that Gourry has good intentions, but I still think Adelaide is lying to us."

"Wh-what? But then why are you here?" Amelia gasped, looking up at him in shock. "Why are you working with us? If you think she's guilty, then-"

" _Listen_." Zelgadis jerked Amelia closer. "That girl could be the most wanted criminal in the world for all I care. She's the  _best damn lead_  I've found in all my years of searching for a cure. I'd be an idiot to let the law have their way with her.  _That's_ why I'm supporting you."

He released his grip on her arm, and Amelia took a wary step away from him, glancing instead to where Adelaide and Pokota were talking. She couldn't figure out what Zelgadis meant. A lead for… his cure?

Impossible, right?

"Hey, um, Your Highness…?" Adelaide murmured, glancing upward toward the little animal perched on her head. "I, uh, have a confession to make. Earlier today, with the rose, I… I was actually…"

"I know, I know." Pokota chuckled. "It wasn't for me, was it?"

"How did you know?"

"Not like it's hard to see how you looked at Lina…"

"I-It's not like that." Adelaide blushed. "Clearly she and Gourry are a thing, so I'd never try to get in between them. It was just that… when I ran into her earlier today, it was almost magical. It was like something straight out of a romance novel. I went through a disappointing breakup a few months ago, then I've been going through so much crap from the government, I just kinda wanted… a happy ending for once. Y'know?"

"I hear you." Pokota nodded his head. He plucked the rose out of his cloak tie and dangled it in front of Adelaide's face. "You want to give it to Lina?"

"No way. She has Gourry's rose, besides. She doesn't need mine. You keep it."

Pokota stared at the rose pensively for a moment and then took it and stuck it in the messy bun of hair on the back of Adelaide's head. "There. It looks nice on a redhead. Maybe not the one it was intended for, but all the same."

Adelaide laughed. "Thank you, Your Highness."

"Just call me Pokota, will you?"

"Oh." Adelaide's eyes widened as though the familiar address of a prince was something that she'd never considered before. "Alright, then.  _Pokota_."


	9. If The Shoe Fits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

**9- If The Shoe Fits**

"HOW COULD YOU ALLOW A DANGEROUS CRIMINAL INTO MY COUNTRY? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?"

"Y-Your Majesty, please. They didn't have enough evidence to arrest her at the time, and so there was no legal way they could restrict her movements."

"WHAT ABOUT LINA INVERSE? WHO LET  _HER_  IN?"

"Sh-she was allowed in as an employee of the Ruvinigald Kingdom, I'm afraid-"

"RUVINIGALD THIS, RUVINIGALD THAT- DO THEY THINK MY COUNTRY IS JUST A PLAYGROUND FOR THEIR DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO DO WITH WHAT THEY WISH?"

"I'm sure it's not like that, Your Majesty. You have to understand-"

"I  _UNDERSTAND_  THAT THE POWER OF LORD ZOAMELGUSTAR IS GOING TO SMITE THEM IF THEY DON'T HURRY TO MAKE THIS RIGHT."

Inspector Morrigan and Meg could hear the queen's angry yelling from their spot in the hallway. The queen had demanded the presence of those responsible for the explosion in the park that had damaged the fountain and hurt the poor little prince's ears. A royal guard insisted that he go in first to calm the queen down before letting any outsiders into the conference room, but he didn't seem to be having much luck. There was the sound of a young child crying down the hallway where the king and prince had retreated to avoid the queen's wrath, but against the queen's yelling it was almost impossible to hear.

"What's going to happen to us?" Meg asked nervously. "She sounds really angry."

"It can't be considered our fault." Morrigan gave a stern reply that was just as much for his sake as for Meg's. "We merely did our job. It was Lina Inverse who caused the ruckus- she's the one to blame."

"We were the ones who hired her in the first place." Meg pointed out. "You agreed to pay a lot of money to get her here."

Morrigan clenched his eyes shut in anger. "I don't understand. Inspector Freion said that she'd be an invaluable part of our team."

"You don't think he knew that this would happen, do you?"

"Of course not! Inspector Freion would never set me up for failure!" Morrigan insisted. He hugged his knees to his chest tightly. "That… wouldn't make any sense…"

"It's hard to know who to trust, isn't it?"

"I'm sure there was some sort of... calculated error." Morrigan murmured fervently. "There had to be. Inspector Freion just didn't know this would happen..."

Meg gently tapped his shoulder. "I thought you told me that Inspector Freion never makes mistakes."

"He doesn't!"

"Then we can only assume that he was trying to sabotage your case-"

" _NO_!" Morrigan flinched, drawing away from the girl. "Don't say that. He wouldn't. He doesn't make mistakes, but there's no way he'd sabotage me either."

Meg pressed her lips together pensively for a moment. "It seems to me that you're going to have to pick one or the other."

"No, no, no, no!" Morrigan's voice cracked as he spoke and he buried his head in his knees. "I don't know what to think. I don't know what to do. Maybe they were right- maybe I am too young to handle a case like this on my own. I thought I could prove myself, but-"

"It seems to me that now is the time that you can  _really_  prove yourself." Meg spoke, placing a hand on his shoulder. Morrigan lifted his head and looked over at her.

"Huh?"

"Think about it. If you still manage to arrest Lady Adelaide after all that's happened, you'll have done what might be impossible for even some of the veteran detectives. No one will ever doubt your ability again- you might even be promoted."

Morrigan thought it over for a moment, his eyes widening in realization. "Meg..." he murmured breathlessly, "that's it! That has to be it! Inspector Freion would never sabotage my mission to hurt me, but if he sabotaged my mission with the intent of testing my skills, it would help me to both grow as a detective and to put to rest all the claims about my age and inexperience."

"Um, I'm not sure that's-" Meg reached out to him, but Morrigan had already stood up and was yelling at the wall.

"I'm sorry for ever doubting you, Inspector Freion! I won't let you down! I'll arrest Lady Adelaide and Lina Inverse and make you proud!"

"Inspector, please stop yelling. The queen might hear you and get even angrier about this whole-"  
"Excuse me. Are you waiting to see the queen?"

A voice from behind them caught the pair's attention. Meg stood up so that she could greet the man who was approaching them from down the hallway.

"Yes; we were told to wait in the hallway. Who are you?"

"I'm one of the representatives of Seyruun." The man bowed politely, but the expression on his face was uneasy and impatient. "I came to see if the queen had heard anything from Princess Amelia."

"Princess Amelia?" Meg turned to Morrigan. "Wasn't she the young woman with Prince Posel at the park this afternoon?"

"The park? That's where the commotion this afternoon was coming from, wasn't it?" The representative's eyes took on a look of panic. "We haven't seen or heard from Princess Amelia since the incident this afternoon. She didn't meet us at the appointed time and place, which is odd for her. She's  _always_  punctual. When we tried to search for her, we found nothing. She told us this morning that she was going to spend the day with her friend Prince Posel, but we can't find him either."

"Come to think of it, Sir Greywords seems to have disappeared too." Meg spoke to Morrigan. "He told us that he was going to pursue Miss Lina and Lady Adelaide, but he hasn't returned. Do you think he's still searching for them?"

"Excuse me," the Seyruun representative interrupted, "are you talking about Sir  _Zelgadis_  Greywords and Miss Lina _Inverse_?"

"Yes." Morrigan nodded in reply. "How did you-"

"They're both personal friends of Princess Amelia's and Prince Posel's. Both have been traveling companions of the princess before, and Sir Greywords was appointed by crown Prince Philionel as her personal bodyguard for a time. There's a rumor that Sir Greywords and the princess are lovers. It wouldn't be beyond the realm of imagination to assume that she followed him, especially if she believed that a dear friend had succumbed to the forces of evil." He averted his gaze and muttered "...not that Miss Lina wasn't halfway there already..."

"You don't think that Princess Amelia and Prince Posel tried to take matters into their own hands, do you?" Meg gasped. "This is no place for royalty to get involved."

"What about Gourry? He disappeared too." Morrigan pointed out. "If we're creating a list of missing persons, we can't forget him-"

"Wherever Miss Lina is, that's where Mister Gabriev will be." Meg cut him off. "That type of man is fiercely loyal to the person he loves. He'll follow her to the depths of hell so long as it means he can stay by her side."

"What are we going to do?" The representative clasped his hands over his face. "The crown prince will have our heads if we return to Seyruun City without the princess."

"Don't worry." Morrigan assured him. "The Ruvinigald Bureau of Investigation is handling the situation. We'll make finding Princess Amelia and Prince Posel a priority."

"Prince Posel came to Zoana alone." Meg added. "It might be best to send a correspondence to Taforashia, so that they don't come looking when their prince doesn't return when he said he would."

"This is becoming more complicated than I thought." Morrigan crossed his arms and stared at the carpet. "But that only means that there's more information to work with. We  _will_ find them- all of them."

* * *

 

The group briefly surfaced in Selmatt, getting some fresh air if not sunlight. It was dark already, but Zelgadis insisted that they weren't far enough away to stay the night. He wanted them to at least reach Ralteague, which would be another seven or eight kilometers to the west. No one was happy, but no one argued either.

By the time they actually reached Ralteague, it was past midnight, and the group opted to make camp outside of the city they'd surfaced near rather than go in and face suspicion for coming in so late at night. There was no telling how fast word of Adelaide's escape would spread outside of Zoana, and it was best to lie low for the moment, it seemed.

Adelaide was relieved to get back aboveground. She had been cold in the tunnels, and though Zelgadis had offered her his cloak- at Amelia's urging- she'd refused. The late summer air was a great relief, though Adelaide wasn't at all used to sleeping on the ground and wasn't sure what to make of the situation.

"So we're… not going to an inn?" she asked, watching the others starting a fire.

"No." Zelgadis answered.

"We're just staying…  _here_?"

"Yes." Amelia offered a smile.

"We're… sleeping on th-the ground? With the  _dirt_ and the  _bugs_?"

Pokota jumped over and perched on the girl's head. "You've really never done this before, have you?"

"I went camping with a, uh,  _friend_  once before, but it was nothing like this." Adelaide shook her head, forgetting that Pokota was sitting on it and nearly throwing him off. "Oops!"

"Well, then," Lina chuckled. "welcome to being on the run from the law. You'll get to sleep on the ground, eat fish guts, and complain about your aching feet 24/7. It's great fun- trust me. I've done it more than once."

Adelaide glanced sadly at her shoes that she'd set aside- high heels not made for walking any sort of distance- and then down at the red marks they'd left on her feet. "I'm going to need a better pair of shoes."

"Don't worry. I'm in the same situation." Amelia replied, tugging at her dress. "I didn't come to this event dressed for traveling."

"We'll find a place in town tomorrow to get you two some new clothes." Zelgadis spoke up. "Lina, Gourry and I will go to buy them. You two will need to stay out here with Pokota to avoid being recognized."

"That sounds fair." Amelia nodded and turned to Adelaide for support. Adelaide didn't look particularly happy about it, but nodded anyway.

"We'll need to get your measurements too, just to make sure that we don't buy you something you can't wear." Lina added.

"Of course. Give me something to write them down on." Adelaide replied. Zelgadis dug into his bag and pulled out a notepad, holding it out towards her. Adelaide reached for it, but then hesitated before touching it. "C-can I just-"

"Take it."

"Okay."

The stiffness in her shoulders relaxed as she opened the notebook to an empty page and hurriedly began writing down numbers with a pencil that Gourry had handed her. Lina was busy tending to the fire, but since she'd been the one to ask for the measurements, she was the one Adelaide handed them to.

"I wrote everything down, along with some of the colors I prefer to wear. I like green the best because it complements my hair, but dark blue is good too, and please don't get me anything yellow-"

"Listen," Lina interrupted. "you're tall. It's sometimes tough to find clothes for tall women in little villages like this. You'll take what we can get you, okay?"

"Y-yes." Adelaide lowered her head in embarrassment.

The next few minutes were quiet. Gourry, Amelia, and Pokota had fallen asleep, Gourry with his back against a tree, Pokota curled up in a patch of grass close to Adelaide, and Amelia draped over Zelgadis' shoulder. Adelaide began untying her hair, removing the rose and a handful of pins, the latter of which she placed in her clutch purse. Letting her hair comfortably over her shoulders, she picked up the rose and examined it. It showed signs of damage from their earlier escapades, a few petals having turned brown and beginning to fall off. Inexplicably, Adelaide found herself in tears.

"Hey. Are you okay over there?" That was Lina's voice. Adelaide looked up and wiped the tears from her face.

"S-sorry about that. I was thinking too much."

"About what?"

"It's nothing."

"You're crying over  _nothing_?" Lina raised an eyebrow. She didn't have Gourry's fantastic lie-detecting powers, but even she could identify an  _obvious_  lie.

"I was just thinking about how these flowers were intended to be given as gifts. They're to be put in vases or used as adornments for fancy accessories. Now this one's all trampled. We don't have a vase to put it in, and it's going to die-"

"Sorry to burst your little bubble, but it's dead already. It's been cut. Putting it in a vase isn't going to bring it back to life. You know that, right?"

Adelaide was silent.

"What do they teach you in those boarding schools anyway? I thought you graduated top of your class."

"I did." Adelaide replied curtly. "I'm smarter than that. I promise. I'm just tired and confused right now. I can't think straight." There was a pause, and she muttered to herself "…not that I can think straight when I'm awake, but..."

"No, no, I think I'm getting the idea." Lina waved one hand back and forth. "You're upset because you're afraid the dying flower represents your life as the consequences of the crimes you've committed encroach upon it."

"But I haven't committed any crimes." Adelaide protested.

"Good. You swordsmen can be awfully dense at times, but your reflexes are top-notch. I was unsure about whether you were telling the truth earlier, but you don't seem like the kind to lie."

Adelaide glanced at the ground. "Thanks. It's good to hear that for a change."

"Can one of you hand me my notebook?" Zelgadis spoke up. "I want to record everything that's happened so far, but I..." His voice trailed off and he pointed to Amelia. "...I can't move."

"Here you go." Lina picked the book up and held it out for Zelgadis to take. She noticed that he hesitated slightly before he grabbed it. Her mouth turned up into a pensive frown and she spoke again. "Is there a problem with that book or something? Why is everyone so afraid to touch it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Adelaide was scared to grab it from you, and you hesitated before taking it from me. What's the deal?"

"It's not the book." Zelgadis replied.

"Then what  _is_  it?"

Zelgadis glanced over at Adelaide, and she fidgeted with her hands uneasily. "I-it's nothing." she responded.

"Adelaide and I just aren't touchy people. You understand, right?"

Lina narrowed her eyes at him.

"What?"

" _Zel_."

The accusatory tone was enough to make him notice that Amelia was still resting on his shoulder. "Oh. Right. W-well, that's different."

"Whatever." Lina groaned, rolling her eyes. "Do whatever weird things you guys want. I don't care. Just so long as you're not insulting me-"

"Insult you?  _Never_."

"That sounds suspiciously like sarcasm, Zel."

"Sarcasm? What's that?"

Lina shook her head. She picked up her cape and settled down in a comfortable spot near the fire. "It's late. Just go to sleep, okay?"

No one spoke for a long while. Eventually it was obvious that Lina had fallen asleep by the way her breathing changed. Gourry had been snoring loudly for a period of time, but he'd quieted down some in the past few minutes. Zelgadis was still writing in his notebook, and Adelaide cleared her throat to get his attention.

"What is it?" He didn't even look up from his writing.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For... not saying anything to Lina."

"I was just thinking of myself." He responded, finishing up his entry and putting the notebook away. "If I could pass for a normal human, I wouldn't want anyone revealing me without my permission."

"Still, thanks." Adelaide smiled slightly. "I was afraid of you at first, but you're actually pretty nice."

"Not nice." Zelgadis shot back. "I want in."

Adelaide's head whipped around toward him abruptly. "E-excuse me?"

"Your plan. Whatever it is you're searching for at Chateau Augustine, I want in. I want to be a normal human as much as you do, and if you're after something that can cure you, I want it too."

"Okay."

" _Okay_?"

"What am I supposed to say?"

"I-I don't know." Zelgadis stammered. "I guess I expected you to make it a little more difficult for me. Ask something of me, refuse my request- something."

"Mister Greywords, what kind of person do you think I am?"

Zelgadis shrugged. "I'll be honest. I think you're a criminal."

"Okay."

"Again with the  _okay_?"

Adelaide tilted her head slightly. "If you still think I'm a criminal after all I've said, there's really nothing more I can say. I'll just have to prove I'm innocent through my actions."

"That's an interesting thought." Zelgadis smirked. "You remind me of myself, in a way."

"How so?"

"Well, you seem to be a logical person who hides their insecurities under a layer of sarcasm and dry wit. That's one thing."

"You think my wit is dry?"

"It's certainly not Gourry's brand of humor."

Adelaide let out a sigh. "I guess I'll have to hear some of his jokes tomorrow."

"You'll either bust a gut laughing or want to punch him in the face."

"The best kind of humor is both."

Zelgadis yawned and glanced up at the sky. "It is, isn't it?"


	10. Bogged Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy! It's possible that there will not be a new chapter next week, as I will be recovering from surgery. If that happens, the story will continue its regular updates on the next Friday, 20 March. Thank you very much for your patience.

 

**10- Bogged Down**

"Here you go. It's what you asked for, isn't it?"

Adelaide's face lit up as Lina tossed her the clothing that they'd collected that morning. "A green dress!" she gasped in excitement. "You  _did_  find one."

"I'm sorry if it's not quite your style, but it was the only one that both fit and matched your criteria-"

"I love it!" the girl squealed, hugging the dress. "I'll go try it on now!"

"Don't just try it on. Wear it." Lina dug into the bag that Gourry had draped over one shoulder. "And while you're at it, here's a pair of walking shoes and a sleeping roll so that you won't have to be quite as on-the-ground as you were last night. It's not nearly all the supplies you need to travel, but if you stick with us, we'll take care of you."

Adelaide's expression of excitement softened, and she held the dress close. "Thank you…" she murmured. "I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you for all that you've done."

That was the wrong thing to say. Lina immediately had her abacus handy and began adding up some numbers she'd written down on a slip of paper.

"Adding up the retail costs of the dress, the shoes, and the sleeping roll, plus a fee for my efforts in your  _rescue_  the other day… your current tab is about fifty-seven silver. No need to pay right now- I'll keep a running account of it and you can pay me once everything settles down again."

"…o-okay... uh…"

"Don't stand there looking like a terrified deer. Change into the dress I bought you! I picked it out and everything!"

"Y-yes, Miss Lina!" Adelaide disappeared hurriedly behind a bunch of trees.

"Retail costs?" As soon as Adelaide left, Gourry approached Lina from behind and tapped her gently on the back of the head. "But you haggled with the shop owners for each of these and bought them for nearly  _half_  what the retail-"

"Shush!" Lina gave him a gentle punch on the arm in reply. "The difference between the prices is profit. Don't you know anything about business? Profit is the whole point."

"You're awful. She's in a bad situation and you're charging her all this?"

"I'm not heartless! If she didn't have the means to pay me back, of course I wouldn't do this. But she does, so where's the harm?"

Lina and Gourry continued to bicker while a much more civil conversation was going on over on the other side of the clearing.

"Oh, Zelgadis, I love it! It's so comfortable!" Amelia twirled around, letting the cloak fan out behind her like a cape. Her new outfit was obviously inspired by her favorite traveling ensemble, though certainly less gaudy. Zelgadis was afraid that it was too demure for the princess, but if she was at all disappointed, she wasn't showing it. "How much did it cost you? I'll pay you back-"

"There's no need for that. Lina bartered with the salesperson and we got it fairly cheaply. Buy me a coffee sometime and we'll call it even."

"It definitely looks nice on you." Pokota was perched on Zelgadis' shoulder, doing his best to avoid the chimera's hair. With Adelaide and Amelia changing outfits, the only other options for shoulders or heads to perch on were Lina and Gourry, and Pokota would rather risk getting stuck with steel wire than get in between that argument. "You did a great job picking that out, Zelgadis."

"It was the closest thing to her other traveling clothes." Zelgadis brushed off the compliment, but the smile on his face betrayed his appreciation. "I know how much she loves to wear that purple cape, but a blue cloak will have to suffice for now."

"Purple is a color of nobility, and wouldn't be suitable if I'm trying to pass for an ordinary civilian." Amelia reasoned. "Besides, blue is a nice color. It represents stability, wisdom, and truth."

"What does green represent, princess?"

Amelia turned around and smiled at the sight of her new friend. "Oh, Miss Adelaide, what a lovely dress! The color suits you perfectly. Green is a color that represents safety, you know."

"Is that so?"

"Yes!" Amelia pointed to the ruffles on the front of the dress and the accent pin near the young woman's neck. "With white for innocence and blue for truth, we'll have your name cleared in no time!"

"That's not how it works, Amelia." Zelgadis nudged her shoulder. "But it's not a bad thing to be optimistic, I suppose."

"I love the accents on the front of the dress, regardless of color." Adelaide giggled, twirling around. "It's cute."

"Thank goodness! Lina picked it out especially for you!" Gourry called, hearing Adelaide's comment from across the clearing. "She said that ruffles on the front of the dress like that would help hide that you have a flat-"

" _GOURRY!_ " Lina grabbed hold of him and forced him into a headlock. "You don't say that to a girl's face, idiot!"

"B-but that's what you told me-"

"Don't worry, you two. I don't mind." Adelaide's reply allowed them to calm down somewhat. She tapped her chest with a proud smile. "I don't need large breasts when I've got a lovable personality! Besides, they'd only be in my way as a swordswoman."

"That's true." Gourry mused. "I've always wondered how girls handled those things in battle. I couldn't ask Lina- it's not like  _she'd_  have that problem-"

" _You'd do well to keep your mouth shut_." Lina hissed, slamming her foot down on top of his.

Pokota, in the meantime, hopped over onto Adelaide's shoulder. "Don't worry so much about them. You're the perfect size just the way you are."

"Thanks, Pokota!" Adelaide beamed. "I think I'm perfect too!"

Lina snatched the animal off Adelaide's head, eliciting a high-pitched yelp. "Hey, you fuzzy little hypocrite! What gives?"

"Hypocrite?" he demanded, squirming around in an attempt to escape her grip.

"You heard me! Adelaide and I have the  _same_  chest measurements, and yet somehow I'm _Flatty McFlat-Chest_  while she's  _The Perfect Size_?"

"She has a nice personality!" Pokota continued to squirm. "Unlike  _you_!"

" _Why you-_ "

Gourry interrupted, placing his hands on Lina's shoulders. "Lina…" he scolded. "…calm down. Remember that thing about finding your happy place?"

"My  _fist_  has a happy place, and it's in  _his_  face-"

" _Lina_."

Gourry began massaging her shoulders, and Lina immediately relaxed, releasing Pokota from her grip, her head drooping to one side. The little animal hopped back over to Adelaide, watching the scene in amazement. His companion was equally amazed. "Wow, Gourry! Where'd you learn to do that?" Adelaide gasped.

Gourry, seeing that his technique had worked, released Lina and spoke to Adelaide with a self-satisfied grin. "It's a trick I picked up in marriage counseling-"

"W-wait a minute, Gourry! Don't tell them that and not tell them the story behind it!" Lina protested, waving her hands frantically. "See, it's a really long and funny story. We didn't go to this thing by choice, we just sort of-"

"Yes we did." Gourry protested. "You were the one who said that because they had food-"

" _I'm_ telling this story, Gourry."

"You're telling it wrong."

"Wrong? I  _lived_ this!"

"So did I!"

"Um…" Adelaide interrupted calmly. "…I'm sorry, I didn't realize you two were married."

Both answered in unison. " _We're not_."

"Huh? You're not?" Pokota jumped from Adelaide's shoulder to the top of her head, his eyes fixed on his two friends. "I always kinda assumed you were."

"I don't see what would give you that impression."

"I do." Adelaide volunteered. "You act married."

"How do two people  _act married_?"

"Well…"

Amelia and Zelgadis watched from a safe distance as Lina and Adelaide argued the specifics of couple behavior. Zelgadis showed little emotion, but Amelia was amused by the conversation.

"Miss Adelaide really seems to be fitting into the group." Amelia observed with a smile. "That's a relief. I was afraid she'd feel intimidated or frightened, but she seems comfortable."

"That may not be such a good thing." Zelgadis murmured in reply. "She' a wanted criminal. She shouldn't be getting too comfortable."

"You  _still_  think she's guilty?"

"I do, and I've even told her as such."

" _Zelgadis-_ "

"She's alright with it. We came to an understanding- she knows what I want and she knows that I'll continue to support her provided that she helps me achieve my goal."

"Zelgadis!" Amelia hissed. "You sound like such a despicable person right now."

He just grinned. "Good to know I'm not losing my touch." Amelia responded with a purposefully melodramatic pout and he laughed, gently tousling her hair. "You worry about your morality and I'll worry about mine."

Amelia nodded, but she wasn't satisfied yet. "Did she... confess to you that she's guilty?"

"No. In fact, she promised to prove to me that she's innocent. I look forward to seeing what she comes up with."

Amelia's smile returned. "Thank goodness. She's being so nice about all this."

"Oh, she's  _very_  nice. Nicer than I ever imagined she'd be." Zelgadis agreed. "But nice does not necessarily equal good."

"Yes, yes, everyone knows that."

"But you don't believe it."

"I  _do_. Yes. It's just... I don't know. I can't help but feel for Miss Adelaide."

"I can understand that. But she has enough people feeling for her already- she doesn't need me too. I'll stick to logic and, until she can prove to me that she's innocent, my own theories."

* * *

 

"Aw, we're sleeping outside  _again_? This is the third night."

Adelaide  _was_  nice, but she certainly knew how to complain.

"Don't worry so much." Lina assured her. "We'll be crossing the border into Lyzeille tomorrow, and then it'll be safe to stay at inns in small groups."

"Oh, thank gods. N-not that I'm ungrateful for the nice sleeping roll, but even with that, my back hurts from last night..."

"Welcome to our life." Zelgadis muttered. "Hope you enjoy your stay."

"Don't worry so much, Adelaide." Gourry spoke up in reassurance. "Let's do something fun. Do you want to play cards again, or-"

"Yeah, that's right!" Pokota jumped over to Gourry's head. "I need to make up my losses from last night."

"You weren't really betting on anything, were you?" Amelia asked curiously.

"No, but I just-"

"He's sore 'cause he couldn't keep up with the  _master_." Lina interrupted, gesturing to herself. Adelaide, however, didn't seem to notice- or care about- the gesture.

"You're talking about me, right? The one who won four rounds in a row?"

"I won  _five_ in total."

"Oh yeah? With how many cards up your sleeve?"

"I didn't have any-" "She had a bunch." "-be quiet you little animal-" "-make me be quiet, why don't you-"

" _Hey_. I hate to interrupt your fun, but I have some questions to ask."

Zelgadis waved his arms and stepped in between Lina and Pokota. The two immediately fell silent, and Lina and Adelaide took a step back. Amelia reached up and touched his arm curiously. "Something wrong, Zelgadis?"

"I've been doing some thinking on the situation, and before taking any risks to gather information, I thought it would be best if we combined our knowledge to see what we truly know and don't know."

"Knowledge about what?" Adelaide asked.

"Chateau Augustine. You know- that place we're going but don't know anything about."

"I told you, it was my mother's-"

"Yes, yes, we know that. But Gioconda's ownership of the home is only a small part of its story, I'm sure, and I'm not satisfied with that. I need to know more about its history," He paused and fixed a stern glare on Adelaide. "I need to know  _what's there_."

Adelaide frowned and reached out as though she were going to grab his arm, but he flinched and pulled it away, much to her chagrin. "Can I talk to you for just a second?" she demanded. Zelgadis tugged his arm away from Amelia and stepped aside to respond to the girl's request.

"What is there to talk about?"

"Just give me some time and I'll tell you all about the-"

"Time requires patience,  _Miss_  Adelaide, and that's not something that I have in boundless supply right now. You want to prove your innocence to me? Answer my questions."

"Fine."

"Good." Zelgadis turned back around to the others. "We'll all begin setting up camp and making a fire, and then once we've settled in we can talk."

"I'm sorry about him..." Amelia shuffled over to stand next to the others as Zelgadis began picking up pieces of kindling for firewood.

"Don't be. He's got a point." Lina responded. "I mean, all we know about this place so far is that it's in Kachemak Bay. That's a  _huge_  wildlife preserve full of swampland and dreadful mosquitoes."

"Is it really that bad?"

"It's a  _peat bog_ , Pokota. Have you ever  _walked_  through a bog?"

"N-no-"

"That's a trick question. You don't walk through a bog, you _slog_  through it, ankle-deep in mud if you're lucky and waist-deep if you're not." Lina crossed her arms. "And I doubt I have to tell you this, but I'm  _not_ searching endless kilometers of bog for a house."

"I see…"

Meanwhile, Amelia reached out to Adelaide in concern. "Miss Adelaide, if Zelgadis is bothering you, I can ask him to-"

"No, no. It's alright." Adelaide shook her head. "Honestly, I'd probably be doing the same if I were in his situation. I wish I could tell you more about this place, I really do, but I've only visited once, and that was a few years ago. I can give you what I know, but it's not much."

"Don't worry. We'll get the information one way or another." Zelgadis' voice caused the two girls to flinch and turn around. They hadn't realized he'd been listening to their conversation.

"That's a very villainous thing to say, Zelgadis!"

"Villainous…?" Adelaide was still getting used to the intricacies of their relationship. Lina and Gourry, she could clearly tell were a pair, but Amelia and Zelgadis were trickier. Unlike Lina and Gourry, whose disagreements, though common, were trivial in nature, Amelia and Zelgadis seemed to have conflicting ideologies, disagreeing on far more important subjects. Their moralities were far different from one another, and while Adelaide had seen them physically close- walking together, holding hands, even the occasional hug- there was a distance between them that made her wonder just what basis the relationship was founded upon.

"Yes. Apparently I talk like a villain." Zelgadis' voice was monotone, but there was a sense of amusement in his eyes. "Amelia is helping me remove supposedly  _villainous_ phrases from my vocabulary."

"It's not right for a defender of Justice to say such things!"

"Honestly, I care more to know if I'm speaking in storybook clichés without realizing it. It saves me embarrassment in the long run."

" _Zelgadis_."

"What? You told me that defenders of Justice are honest, and that's my honest opinion."

Adelaide giggled as she listened. Though she didn't quite understand the relationship, she couldn't argue that Amelia and Zelgadis' banter could be fun to listen to. "Like I've said before, I'm not good at spouting information on my own. Ask me some questions, okay?"

"To start off, can you give us a more detailed idea of where this place is?" Lina took a spot by the fire next to Gourry. "Like I said, Kachemak Bay is a huge place."

"The house isn't accessible by road." Adelaide explained. "To get there, you have to take a boat to the private dock. There's also a small backcountry trail that we can use if we'd rather not draw attention by renting a boat. It's not good for carrying large amounts of supplies, like my mother always did when she visited, but it's fine for a small group.  _And_  it has boardwalks, so your feet won't get wet, Lina."

"Sounds good to me." Lina sighed in obvious relief. "I agree that I don't like the idea of taking a boat. We can use the trail."

"The house seems to be in a very odd, inconvenient location. What made Marquess Gioconda choose a place like that for a summer home?" Zelgadis asked. "How did it end up in her possession?"

"Abaddon bought it for her." Adelaide replied. "Or, that is, he bought it in her name. After the previous owner was found dead, the house was put on the market, and Abaddon placed an offer in my mother's name that very day. He... informed her later that he'd done so, and by that time the negotiations had already gone through."

"So Abaddon bought Gioconda a house without her knowledge or consent?" Lina asked. "Did Abaddon have access to her finances?"

"He was providing her with such a large sum of money every month to fund research, she had to find a way to get that money in the back door to prevent people from finding out and becoming suspicious. So, yes, Abaddon had complete access to all of my mother's financial assets."

"And there was no contract between them, so Abaddon could do as he pleased." Pokota observed.

"To make an offer so quickly and without consulting the Marquess first, Abaddon must have needed to obtain that house for his own personal interests." Zelgadis murmured, more to himself than to the group.

"It's understandable. Because of its dramatic tidal fluctuations and abundant wildlife, private land near Kachemak Bay has become extremely sought after. People pay a lot of money for even tiny cabins near the outskirts of the wildlife refuge, and houses with convenient water access are prized due to the lack of roads going through the area." Amelia offered a flurry of information. She didn't know a lot about the situation, but she wanted to help Zelgadis as best she could.

"If Abaddon made an offer the  _day_ the house went on the market, he must've known that it was going to happen." Pokota pointed out. "Adelaide, how did the previous owner die?"

"He apparently died due to a laboratory accident. I heard that he was some sort of researcher... a Mister Bedivere, I think-"

"Bedivere?" Lina gasped. "Y-you mean  _Arthur_  Bedivere?"

 


	11. Grey Matters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

**11- Grey Matters**

"Bedivere? You mean  _Arthur_  Bedivere? As in Arthur the Grey?" Lina gasped, interrupting Adelaide mid-sentence. "I never heard that he died! When was this?"

"I-it was four years ago." Adelaide stammered. "That was when mother bought the house. I remember it because I'd just started school in Seyruun."

"When did you visit the house, then?" Amelia asked. "If you'd already been removed from her custody-"

"She didn't have custody of me, but she wasn't forbidden from seeing me at all. It was shortly after she purchased the home, she asked me to visit during one of my vacations. I thought maybe it would be a good idea, and I brought a friend... I quickly found out that it was  _not_  a good idea. So much for that friendship."

"Besides that," Zelgadis was quick to change the subject as soon as Adelaide's emotion began to show through. "who is this Arthur the Grey? I thought that the grey title already belonged to Alice Va-"

"I know, I know." Lina assured him. "Arthur the Grey' wasn't an official title. It was a popular nickname that was given to him once all the scandal started up."

"I think I remember reading about that." Amelia spoke up. "Isn't that the man that they refused to give a color to because he wasn't a mage?"

"Why would they give a  _mage_  color to someone who wasn't a mage?" There was a tone of exasperation in Zelgadis' voice, and that didn't sit well with Lina.

" _Excuse you_ , the color system is simply a recognition of achievement awarded by the Sorcerers' Guild and anyone who works in conjunction with the guild, no matter their classification, should be eligible." Lina gave an indignant huff and continued as though she were lecturing a child. "And Arthur the Grey wasn't a man- he was just a kid. He was a child prodigy who joined the Sairaag Sorcerer's Guild as a teenager and just a year later was rewriting textbooks. His research on the origin and source of magic has completely revolutionized the way that many sorcerers think about their technique. Of course, when it was suggested that he receive a mage color to recognize his contributions to the magic community, a bunch of old geezers threw a fit about how-  _oh, he doesn't actually_ practice  _magic, he's just a glorified bookworm_ \- and that sort of nonsense. The official board that awards mage colors received serious pressure from both sides and kept postponing a decision with the excuse that it was too much of a  _grey area_. So Arthur's supporters started calling him Arthur the Grey."

"If he was such a prominent figure in Sairaag, how'd he end up in an expensive house in the middle of nowhere?" Pokota asked.

"He got tired of all the scandal. Said that it was bad for the pursuit of knowledge. He had publicly stated that, while he appreciated the support, he didn't care whether or not he had a color and just wanted to continue contributing to the community without having his every move scrutinized and attacked by those who thought he didn't deserve it. When those people didn't stop, he fled the city to work somewhere remote, where he wouldn't have to worry about all the bureaucratic power struggles. I remember reading about that... not long before Copy Rezo popped up and things went south in Sairaag really quickly." Lina explained, crossing her arms unhappily. "He was so young and so smart, there was so much more he had to contribute to the world. How could he allow himself to die like that...?"

"Do you think Abaddon might've had something to do with it?" It was the first time that Gourry had spoken up, but it was obvious that he'd been listening intently and analyzing the situation in his own way.

"Jumping on the house as soon as it went on the market? I'm  _sure_  Abaddon had something do with it." Zelgadis responded. "I doubt that Abaddon would've killed Arthur himself, but if what we know about him is true, it's not difficult to believe that he might've ordered the hit and made it look like a lab accident."

"Are we sure that it was really the person you're talking about?" Amelia asked. "It might easily be someone else with the same surname."

Zelgadis shook his head. "Bedivere isn't a surname. It's a first name- meaning that Arthur Bedivere was likely a pseudonym. Lots of magicians and sorcerers use them, often to hide humble or noble origins, or to make a name for themselves when they're living in the shadow of a famous parent or relative. It's not out of the ordinary."

"Bedivere was the name of a knight in the Arthurian legends." Pokota pointed out. "He was one of the knights closely associated with King Arthur, or so I recall. Legend has it that, when Arthur died, it was Sir Bedivere who threw the sword Excalibur back into the lake."

"Actually, that's not quite right. King Arthur had to ask Sir Bedivere three times to throw the sword back, because the first two times Sir Bedivere couldn't do it- he wanted to keep the sword as a symbol of King Arthur's reign. He returned both times and lied to King Arthur about the sword, but the king saw through his lies both times because he described only the lake water. When Sir Bedivere actually threw the sword in, it was caught by the hand of the Lady of the Lake and pulled under. It's really important that Bedivere was the one to bring Arthur's reign to a close, because he was one of the first men knighted by King Arthur, and the only Knight of the Round Table to survive throughout his entire reign."

There was a pause. The group stared, suddenly transfixed.

"...what?" Gourry looked around in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"I didn't realize you were such a big fan of the Arthurian tradition, Gourry." Lina murmured.

"Oh yeah! My brother and I used to read those stories over and over when we were kids. We practically memorized them. When my brother was teaching me how to read, my first real story was Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The stories were a great way to escape everyday life…"

"I didn't know you had an older brother you were close to." Lina murmured. "You don't keep in touch?"

"He was younger. And he's dead."

"Oh."

"Yeah. 'Oh' is right."

There was a pause, and no one dared to speak. Lina bit her lip, uncomfortable with the sudden break in conversation, and pressed forward.

"What happened?"

"Don't ask."

"No, really!"

"He was murdered. Don't ask."

"Don't ask? Gourry, that's-" "-I  _said_ , don't ask-" "-but who would-""-it's not important-""-that's  _very_  important-""-you shouldn't have to-""-it was a long time ago-" "-I don't understand how you could-" "-just forget about it-" "-but who in the world could have-"

" _I_  did." Gourry finally snapped, his voice breaking into an upper register that Lina had never heard before. " _I murdered my brother_. Is that what you want to hear? Are you happy now?!"

There was another short period of silence. Lina reached out toward Gourry with an unsteady hand, though her voice was firm when she spoke. "Gourry, you're not a murderer."

"You think so? Try it. Hold a knife to the throat of a teenage boy- see who he won't betray to save his hide."

"That's-"

"My brother stole the sword of Light all by himself. Do you know why? Because  _I_ was too much of a  _coward_  to go with him. Oh yeah,  _sure_  I said I'd cover for him. I promised I'd keep his secret. But it was all because I didn't want to die. When my life was in danger and I had to choose between saving myself and saving my brother, you  _know_  what I chose. I told them exactly where he went. They found him, got what they wanted, and killed him… and all because of me."

"M-Mister Gourry, that's self-defense." Amelia spoke up timidly. "In the eyes of the law, that's-"

"IF I'D KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT, KENT WOULD STILL BE ALIVE. Do you think I give a damn what the law thinks?"

There was an awkward pause. No one knew what to say. Even Zelgadis, who was used to being harsh in emotional situations, was taken aback. He'd never seen Gourry like this.

It was Pokota who spoke up first.

"When you say ' _they'_  killed him, do you mean your older half-brothers?"

Everyone stared at the little animal, Gourry especially. "H-how did you…?"

"How old was your brother when he stole the Sword of Light?"

"Sixteen."

"I met a boy that age several years ago. He'd stolen the sword of light and told us that his half-brothers were pursuing him. He spoke highly of a brother-"

"I was supposed to protect him. That's what I promised- when we were little kids, I promised him that I'd protect him for the rest of my life, as though I'd be willing to die for him. That was… such a horrible lie to tell someone…"

"Gourry, I've been trying to tell you, that's a really big promise to make." Lina spoke up. "You can't be expected to be held to-"

"It's not a promise I'd make if I didn't mean it." Gourry replied. "I loved my brother. I couldn't imagine a life without him. But we were too different from one another. I dreamt of living a safe, peaceful life someday. He had ambitions. I thought that I was doing what was best for him by letting him pursue his ambitions, but my good intentions got him killed. I told myself I'd never promise anyone such a foolish thing ever again, but… deep down, I wanted to know that I'd learned from my mistakes and that I was capable of protecting someone."

"So that's why you've promised to protect me?" Lina asked pointedly. She knew that wasn't true, but she wanted him to see how little sense he was making. "I'm just a stand-in for your brother?"

" _No!_  …yes… I mean, at first, but…" Gourry stammered, starting to realize what she was getting at. " _I had no idea I was going to fall in love with you, okay?_ "

The clearing fell silent again. Gourry suddenly seemed to realize that he was not only speaking to Lina, but to the whole group. "S-sorry." His face reddened and he scrambled to his feet, dashing off into the trees.

"GOURRY-" Lina jumped up to follow after him, but Pokota grabbed hold of her arm and tugged her back.

"Wait a minute, Lina. He wouldn't let me talk- I was trying to tell him, his brother is alive."

" _What_?"

"Pokota, what are you talking about?" Zelgadis demanded. "We're  _way_  off-subject, and we need to-"

"Gourry's brother is alive. He faked his death to protect himself from their father." Pokota continued. "He came to me when he was on the run and used the money he'd stolen to commission a replica of the Sword of Light that he could use to throw his brothers off. When they insisted that they had to retrieve him  _and_  the sword, he promised to give the sword up without a fight if they'd pretend he was dead and let him go."

"So he gave them a fake Sword of Light to protect himself?" Amelia asked.

"Yes. I know it worked too, because he didn't pay in full until after the transaction had been made. He made Duclis and me promise not to tell anyone what had happened because he didn't want his father to know he was alive. All that time, he was worried about Gourry, but…"

"Where was he going?" Lina demanded. "Do you know where he settled?"

"I'm not sure. His final destination was Sairaag, but it's a long way there from Elmekia. He could've easily found somewhere else to live along the way."

"And if he did make it to Sairaag," Zelgadis added. "he may have perished during the battle with Copy Rezo."

"Sairaag was a big city. It'd be easy for someone to start a new life there." Lina murmured. "But Sairaag isn't the only big city around. It's probably more likely that he found somewhere else to live, even if he did start out in Sairaag. He could still be alive somewhere…

"...just waiting for the day that he can see his brother again!" Amelia gasped. "What a heartbreaking existence, to be separated from your sibling, not knowing whether they're alive or happy! We have to find him and reunite them-"

"Amelia." Zelgadis interrupted, grabbing hold of her arm and pulling her back to sit down next to him. "I understand your personal connection to the situation and I want to help Gourry just as much as you do, but we're on the run from the law right now. It might be best to wait until this whole fiasco clears up before going to search for... Kent, was it?"

"That's what Gourry said, but he changed his name when he went into hiding." Pokota replied. "We don't know where he lives now or even what his new name is. We only know who he  _used_  to be."

Adelaide crossed her arms and looked away, muttering to herself. "I feel like I've read about this plot device in a story sometime before."

"Whatever we decide to do, we can't just leave poor Mister Gourry like this." Amelia stood up again despite Zelgadis' grip on her arm. "Someone needs to go talk to him-"

"I'll go. You guys stay here and keep exchanging information about the chateau." Lina interrupted her. "I think... it'd be better if I was the one to talk to him about all this."

Amelia couldn't argue with that.

* * *

 

Lina found Gourry sat against a small tree with his legs drawn up against his chest and his head buried in his knees. He didn't appear to be crying, but he looked so small and pitiful drawn up into a ball the way he was. If he heard her coming, he didn't acknowledge it, and didn't so much as flinch even when she sat down next to him. She reached out and placed her hand on his arm, leaning in close.

"...Gourry? You alright?"

There was a muffled noise that sounded very much like a 'no.' Gourry lifted his head enough to look over at Lina with a despondent expression. "I'm so sorry, Lina."

"Sorry? What do you have to be sorry for?"

"I didn't mean to call you out like that. I know you hate it when people start talking about... love and that nonsense."

"What? You mean the 'falling in love' comment? Is that why you ran off?" Lina gasped. "You thought I'd get mad? I don't hate love, I hate it when people try to label my own feelings for me as though I don't have a say in the matter. You were talking about your own feelings, and, while it may not make you feel any better, you should know that nobody was surprised."

"Am I that obvious?"

"You're not especially subtle- which isn't a bad thing. It's very much your style. Don't you remember earlier, when they insisted that we acted like a married couple?"

Gourry shrugged uneasily. "Marriage and love don't always go together. I know they're supposed to, but it doesn't always work out that way."

"You talk like you speak from experience."

"I never got to know my mother, all because my father didn't give a damn about her. She was his second wife; she was far younger than he was and he married her for money. My brother, Kent, was born only eleven months after I was. It was too much for her, and my father refused to seek medical help because he... didn't believe in it."

"You were very close to your brother, weren't you?"

"He was my only true family- he and our half-sister who raised us until we were old enough to walk." Gourry sighed. "He wasn't as good with a sword as father would've liked, but he was a genius. That Arthur prodigy you were talking about earlier, Kent could've run circles around him, I'm sure. He was kind and generous and wanted to help people whenever he could."

"He  _was_  pretty smart." Lina spoke up, taking a deep breath before continuing. "You heard that Pokota met him while he was on the run from your brothers, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"But you didn't hear the rest of the story."

"I- huh?"

"Kent used the money that he stole from your family to commission a replica of the Sword of Light. Pokota created a replica so that Kent could fool his brothers and get away safely. He traded them the replica in return for not putting up a fight and faked his death to protect himself from your father."

Gourry stared.

"Get it? He's alive. Your brother is alive."

"N-no..." Gourry shook his head. "No, it can't be true. I know my half-brothers brought back the real Sword of Light. After they returned, I was so angry and hurt by Kent's death that I decided to avenge him by doing what I was too cowardly to do before- stealing the sword. If they brought home a replica, that meant that _I_  stole a replica, and we know that's not true, 'cause if it was, those Overworld people would've known right away."

"…wait a minute…" It was Lina's turn to stare in confusion. "Th-that doesn't make any sense. I mean, I'm sure Pokota was telling the truth. He'd have no reason to lie to us. But at the same time, you're exactly right. I forgot-  _you_ had the Sword of Light. The Overworlders would've known a replica from the real thing. You don't think... Kent accidentally gave your brothers the real sword instead of Pokota's replica, do you?"

"No, of course not." Gourry shook his head. "I told you he was a genius, right? He studied the Sword of Light for years. Our half-brothers would've fallen for a well-made replica, but not Kent."

"Is there a possibility that it was somehow switched before we met?" Lina asked. "I know that you guarded that sword with your life while you were with me, but before that… were you still-"

"I was always protective of the Sword of Light. You think I wouldn't be, after my brother died for it … _supposedly_?" Gourry shot back. "You weren't the first person who tried to buy it off of me. I never lost sight of it and I kept it with me when I was asleep. Those weren't new behaviors just because I met you."

"I don't get it, then. The only other option must be that Pokota is lying, but I can't imagine that he'd-"

"Oh! There was one time I lost the sword!"

For once, Lina didn't mind being interrupted. "There was?"

"Yeah. Don't you remember? After we fought that Hellmaster guy and you got kidnapped by that chaos or whatever… I didn't have the Sword of Light when we returned to the real world." Gourry pointed out. "I mean, it wasn't missing for a long time, 'cause a few hours later it was returned by-"

His sentence cut off, and his eyes widened. He met Lina's gaze and saw that she was just as disturbed by the implications as he was. She opened her mouth, but for a moment was afraid to speak, as though saying something would give credence to their sudden suspicions.

"…Xellos. It was returned by Xellos."


	12. Lost and Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

**12- Lost and Found**

"Okay, even if Xellos really  _wasn't_  holding onto the Sword of Light for safekeeping and actually had some sort of hidden agenda, how would he have switched it? According to Pokota, Kent has the original Sword of Light. How would it have gotten from Kent to Xellos?"

"That's not something we can figure out now." Lina murmured, resting her head in one hand. "The fact remains that, if you and Pokota are both telling the truth, that's the only thing that makes sense."

"Kent was-  _is_ \- too smart to trust somebody like Xellos." Gourry murmured. "Unless, of course, Xellos promised to send the sword back to the world it came from."

"You mean the overworld? Did Kent know about that?" Lina asked. "More importantly, did  _you_  know about that? You seemed pretty clueless when we-"

" _Of course_  I didn't know about that. All I knew was that Kent had this weird fantasy when we were kids about how the Sword of Light came from 'somewhere else' and 'didn't belong in this world _.'_ I thought he was crazy- smart people are crazy, right? But it turns out he was right. If he had the Sword of Light for a few more years to study, I'm sure he would've confirmed that. That was the whole reason that he stole the sword: he wanted to return it to the world it came from. If he got that opportunity… he would've taken it."

"That's assuming Xellos knew that the Darkstar incident was going to turn out like it did."

"That's… true…" Gourry paused to think things over. "…to be honest… these details don't matter so much now, right? The bottom line is that Kent is still alive. Even if he's living somewhere far away under a new name, he's still the same person. I want to see him again. I want to say 'I'm sorry.' Even if he doesn't forgive me, I at least need him to know that I love him."

"I'm sure he knows. You're brothers, after all." Lina offered him a smile. "I promise, I know a thing or two about regretful actions done to siblings. No matter what happens between you, that bond can't be erased. You were doing what you needed to survive, and I know that, if he's really as smart as you say, he'll forgive you." She tugged on his arm, pointing in the direction of camp. "Everyone's worried about you. We should probably-"

"Lina, wait."

She stopped, letting go of his arm in surprise. His voice had been forceful, but not harsh. It was more of a plea than a command. "Yes?" she ventured.

"I… uh… I want you to know that how I feel about my brother doesn't change or invalidate how I feel about you."

"What are you talking about?" Lina's reply was almost a laugh. "I know that."

"B-but I… I don't want you to think of yourself as a replacement or a stand-in. When I first promised to protect you, I promised that because I wanted something to protect and you looked like you needed protecting. But later, when I promised to protect you 'for the rest of my life,' I knew that you didn't really need me to protect you and I didn't mind. I just… I mean…" He found himself stammering awkwardly. "What I'm trying to ask you, is-"

"No." Lina cut him off.

"What?"

"I get what you're trying to ask me, and my answer is no."

Ouch. His expression made Lina realize that she probably should've phrased her answer better- or just punched him in the face. It would've caused him less pain.

"I mean, not  _right now_." she corrected quickly, waving her hands in front of him. "You just found out that your brother, a man whose death you've blamed yourself for all these years, is actually alive. You're probably struggling with a lot of crazy, conflicting emotions right now. Your relationship with your brother deserves your focus now far more than your relationship with me. I'll  _always_  be here, Gourry. I want to stay with you. For gods' sakes, I  _love_  you. When the confusion with Adelaide calms down we'll go find your brother. I don't care if we have to search the whole known world- we  _will_ find him. And then… you can ask me this again."

"Y-you… mean it?" A relieved smile spread over Gourry's face. "Okay! I'll wait, then, and focus all my attention on my relationship with my brother. When you're ready for me to ask again, I'll let you tell me."

"Alright, then." Lina offered a playful grin. "You'll be sure to hear from me when that time comes- you'd better not change your mind between now and then."

"As long as you don't change  _your_  mind."

"Lina Inverse? Change her mind? You must be joking." She laughed, giving him a gentle punch on the shoulder. "C'mon. The others are going to get suspicious if we stay out here alone too long. We should-"

"You go ahead. I'll catch up later."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Like you said, there's a lot of conflicting emotions I've got to deal with."

Lina shrugged. "Suit yourself. If you ever need someone to talk to, you know I'm here."

"Um, Lina…"

"What?" She turned around to see that he'd followed her the few steps she'd taken. He looked nervous, which would've been endearing if she hadn't been concerned for his well-being. He took a deep breath before he blurted out his reply.

"C-can I at least kiss you?"

Lina stared at him and blinked a few times. His request was so innocent and nervous. She must've scared the poor guy too much when she refused his earlier request. With an affectionate smile, she returned to his side and stood on the tips of her toes to loop her arms around his shoulders and pull his face closer to hers. The kiss was short, but more fervent than she'd expected, and when she pulled away she saw that his face had reddened in the meantime.

"You're not embarrassed, are you? You're the one who asked!" she laughed, not at him but at the situation.

"I… was, yes." Gourry nodded as he seemed to realize what she was saying. "I didn't really think you'd do it."

Lina smirked. "Good. Glad to hear I'm keeping you guessing."

* * *

When Lina returned to camp, the group was obviously more relaxed than she'd left them. Clearly Zelgadis' words of wisdom had prevailed against the heated emotions that had spurred the argument in the first place. Adelaide was the first to notice Lina, and she turned to greet her. Pokota was sitting on Adelaide's head, but he fell off when she turned around.

"Lina! Is everything okay?"

"That depends on how you define 'okay." Lina replied as she sat down next to the girl.

"Oh?" Pokota hopped over onto Lina's shoulder. "Not everything is peachy between the lovebirds?"

"Who, Gourry and me? Nah- I turned him down."

" _You what_?!" The response came from multiple people. Amelia looked more heartbroken than anyone else. "M-Miss Lina, how could you? I thought you loved him!"

"Don't make up emotions for me!" Lina hissed menacingly before calming down and answering the question. "I do, though. That's why I'm not going to agree to marry him when he's asking out of grief for his brother. He'd regret it later and fear that I only said 'yes' out of pity."

"Oh, I see." Zelgadis murmured. "You turned down a  _marriage proposal_."

"Honestly, I didn't let him get that far, but- same thing." Lina shrugged her shoulders. "I love that man, but he's very emotional. He lets his emotional instincts take over his actions at times. It's good in battle, when that helps him discern opponents' moves before they happen, but... battlefield strategies are rarely good for everyday use."

Amelia sighed dreamily, resting her head in one hand. "You  _do_  love him."

"Of course I do! It just pisses me off when other people think they have the right to say so without asking me first!" Lina paused and took a deep breath to clear her head. "Besides that, we discussed some much more pressing concerns. Apparently, Gourry's brother must have some connection with Xellos."

"What? Where'd you get that idea?" Zelgadis demanded. "I thought we didn't know anything about Gourry's brother."

"We don't. But we do know that, if Pokota is telling the truth, Kent stole and successfully escaped with the real Sword of Light. And we also know that, by the time of the Darkstar incident, Gourry had the real Sword of Light. So the question remains as to how the replica that Gourry stole from his half-brothers after Kent's alleged death got switched with the real sword without Gourry ever knowing it. Gourry thought he had the real Sword of Light the whole time, so he never let it leave his sight- I know, because if he had, I would've stolen it."

"Lina!" Adelaide gasped, though she quickly noticed that she was the only one surprised by the revelation. "S-sorry. Carry on."

"The only time that Gourry and I can ever remember losing the Sword of Light was after a battle with a Mazoku lord, and we didn't think much of it because the sword was 'returned' to Gourry later that day by Xellos, who claimed that he was just holding onto it for safekeeping. It didn't occur to us that it might have been a different sword than the one that Gourry had lost to Hellmaster because we didn't realize that any replicas had been made."

"I remember hearing about a sorcerer named Xellos who was working with my mother during the later stages of the Zanaffar project." Adelaide offered. "I never met him or knew much about him, but that's not a particularly common name, so-"

"You're right. Xellos  _was_  working for Gioconda during all that." Lina gasped. "He must've had inside information as to the Zanaffar project and Abaddon's influence on the marquess."

"But would that be at all connected to the Sword of Light?" Pokota asked.

"Not necessarily. Xellos has his hand in a lot of things." Lina replied. "But thinking about him makes me realize that he might be involved in Adelaide's situation. If he knew about the Zanaffar project, he must've known about Abaddon. It's possible he knows something about who's framing Adelaide- if he isn't doing it himself."

"Xellos... might be the one framing me?" Adelaide gasped, suddenly overwhelmed to have a name to put with the idea.

"It does make sense. As a Mazoku, he'd probably be opposed to Abaddon's goals, and he's despicable enough to use an innocent girl as a scapegoat." Amelia reasoned.

"Let's not jump to conclusions so hastily." Zelgadis placed a hand on Amelia's shoulder. "We all know that Xellos' objectives are far more complicated than what we can come up with. Even if he  _is_ the one framing Adelaide, I doubt it's that simple."

"You just don't want to acknowledge that you were wrong and Adelaide is really innocent." Amelia pouted.

"That's not true and you know it. Lina, back me up here-"

He stopped suddenly, realizing that Lina's attention was focused elsewhere. Gourry had returned, standing timidly outside the circle of the camp as though he was waiting to be invited back in. Lina waved at him with a welcoming smile.

"Hey, there you are- come sit by me. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Gourry's voice and mannerisms still had an aura of melancholy to them, but he'd calmed down a lot and seemed content to sit by Lina, especially when she reached out and grabbed hold of his hand.

"You're back just in time. We were talking about Xellos."

"Xellos? Lucky me."

"I... take it that you all are old friends of Xellos'?" Adelaide questioned. "You speak like you know him well."

"We do know him well, but friends isn't the right word." Zelgadis responded.

"They knew Xellos before they even met me." Pokota added, hopping back over to Adelaide in order to give Lina and Gourry some more space. "Not that I'm not... acquainted with him."

"We speak so harshly of him, but he did fight by our sides during the battle in Taforashia. That's something to remember." Amelia tried to remain optimistic, but the rest of the group wasn't having it.

"Yeah, because it aligned with his objectives to help us." Lina pointed out. "If he decided we were his enemies, we'd be in a heap of trouble."

"Is he really that bad?"

"Oh, and then some. I've fought Mazoku lords and Demon Kings before, and Xellos is  _still_  one opponent I'd never want to meet on the opposite side of a battlefield. Not only is he insanely powerful, but he doesn't play fair. Any trick you can imagine a Mazoku using, he'll use. He toys with his opponents when he can, and when he can't... he's  _terrifying_."

"And this is... the person who might be framing me?" Adelaide curled up with her knees against her chest. "If that's the case, I'm doomed!"

"No way!" Pokota yelled. "We won't let that happen!"

"He's right. If we can prove that you've been framed, you'll be fine." Amelia assured her. "Don't lose heart!"

"You'll be fine... assuming that an angry Xellos doesn't come back for revenge for ruining his plan." It was an unusually somber observation from Gourry. Lina gave him a gentle punch on the shoulder with her free hand.

"Xellos isn't one for revenge. He's not a free agent- he's working for Beastmaster, don't forget."

"So he's a Mazoku under Beastmaster?" Adelaide asked.

"He's her second-in-command."

Adelaide buried her face in her knees again. "I'm  _so dead_."

"Forgetting about Xellos for the moment," Zelgadis spoke up, waving his hands to get everyone's attention, "while you two were gone, Lina and Gourry, Adelaide gave us information about a place we might be able to stay while we're investigating the chateau."

"We can't stay  _in_  the Chateau?"

"Not a chance. It's too obvious. If the government decides to do a search and they catch us by surprise, it's all over."

"There's a little cabin I discovered when exploring the property a few years ago." Adelaide spoke. "Actually, it's technically in the wildlife preserve, so it's not inhabited, but it's warm when there's a fire in the fireplace and the well still works if you crank the pump really hard. If I remember correctly, there are still some furnishings too- a rug, a table and a couple of broken chairs, a moth-eaten sofa, and two bedrooms with beds... or at least bed frames."

"Sounds  _very_  hospitable." Lina muttered.

"I thought it would be better than camping in the bog."

"...you do have a point."

Zelgadis cleared his throat. "Given the circumstances, I motion that we first go to this cabin to get established there, and then send a smaller party to scope things out at the chateau."

"Works for me." "Sounds good, I guess." "Whatever you say."

"I'm glad you all are so enthusiastic." Zelgadis muttered. "But the sooner we get there, the sooner we can be done with this mess."

* * *

Crossing the border between Ralteague and Lyzeille was no trouble, and the group fell into a comfortable routine, traveling from town to town and staying at the inns in small groups to keep from arousing suspicion. It was a less than ideal situation, having to keep a low profile, but it worked well enough. The group found themselves enjoying each other's company- Lina and Gourry were always happy to travel together, but having extra friends to talk to made the journey even more pleasant. The other members of the group were more solitary in their everyday lives, and they were excited to have company. Zelgadis kept his prickly exterior and poor attitude, but he and Amelia at least got along.

Pokota's favorite perch was usually Gourry, since it provided him the best view, but Gourry's initial pain over the story of his brother's faked death had faded and given way to an odd sort of excitement. Gourry pestered Pokota whenever possible to recount the story and every detail that he knew, and after a week, Pokota got tired of telling it. When Gourry wasn't bothering Pokota, he was going on and on to Lina about all the things he was excited to tell his brother when they met again. Lina seemed to put up with it fairly well, but Pokota chalked that up to her relationship with Gourry and her desire to see him happy.  _Love, and all that nonsense._

Because of that, Pokota found himself hanging out with Adelaide much of the time. She was always willing to join him in pleasant conversation, and he found himself enjoying her company and the funny things she had to say. She told great jokes and had many interesting stories, and constantly made light of her "rivalry" with Zelgadis, despite how serious the situation really was. Pokota knew that Zelgadis was suspicious of the girl, and he remembered Gioconda and her skill at hiding her illegal activity, but from what he could tell, Adelaide truly believed that she was innocent, and the more he learned about her, the more protective he felt towards her.

Lina noticed first when the land began to become swampy. Within a few kilometers, they found themselves at the southern end of the wildlife preserve and began following the marked trails, allowing them to stay off the main roads and hide more easily. Some of the trails were more well-kept than others, and some were so overgrown that the group wondered whether there had really been a trail there in the first place, but finally Adelaide was able to lead her companions to the cabin that she'd spoken of earlier. She had been right that it was in a state of general disrepair, but they found that it wasn't nearly as bad as they'd imagined. Because most of the water sources nearby were swampy and muddy, their first concern was testing the cabin's well. It took Gourry and Amelia working together to get the water flowing just because the pump was so rusty, but  _again_ , Adelaide's description had been accurate.

Once a fire was burning in the fireplace and what linens they could find had been hung over the windows to keep the cool night air out, it was comfortable and cozy. The group settled in for the night and began discussing their plans. Zelgadis and Lina both tried to take charge at once, and immediately reached a disagreement.

"Split up? Zel, you've gotta be joking. If Abaddon and his cronies-  _or_ the Ruvinigald Government- are after us, they'll be able to pick us off more easily."

"They can't  _pick us off_  if they can't find us. Traveling in small groups will allow us to move without being noticed while we scope things out."

"Scope things out? Why can't we just go get the sword and leave? Why do we have to do all this roundabout searching?"

"That kind of reckless abandon will get us captured or killed right away."

"Well, prancing around without doing anything of value isn't going to be great for us either."

"You know what? You keep running in circles and see where that gets you." Zelgadis stood up, shaking his head. "I need to talk to Adelaide."

"Huh?" Adelaide was sitting off to the side, content not to pay much attention to the argument. She lifted her head, almost knocking Pokota off of it. "What do you need to talk to me for?"

"Don't give me that. Step outside with me for a moment."

Pouting, Adelaide picked Pokota up off her head and allowed him to join the rest of the group. She trudged outside, following Zelgadis with as much visible reluctance as she could display.

"I know you make fun of me behind my back. I've heard you talking to Pokota when you think I'm not listening." Zelgadis addressed her as soon as they were out of hearing range of the rest of the group.

"What do you want, anyway?"

"I  _want_  to know what the hell you're searching for in this building!" Zelgadis hissed. "Is that so hard to understand? That's the  _only_  reason I'm helping you out." In one swift motion, he unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the girl. "Give me the details, or I'm turning you in and searching for it myself."

"Okay, okay, okay, okay!" Adelaide shrieked, waving her hands back and forth. "Calm down! I'll talk, I promise! Just… promise me that, as long as I tell the truth, you won't get mad at me just because you don't like what you hear."

"The only thing I won't like hearing from you is silence." Zelgadis replied, not moving his sword. "So start talking."


	13. Open and Shut

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

**13- Open and Shut**

"Inspector Freion already went on ahead of us?" Morrigan gripped the desk in frustration. "I thought he'd stay back to give me some guidance… or at least offer an apology or an explanation…"

"I'm so sorry." Meg gave a nod of acknowledgement, setting a stack of papers on Morrigan's desk. "I know how you must feel, but that's what I was told. Inspector Freion asks that we travel to Chateau Augustine immediately and investigate-"

"Investigate  _what_? There's nothing there!" Morrigan yelled. "We've already searched the chateau multiple times! Whatever it is that Lady Adelaide and Abaddon are after, it's well-hidden or already gone! What does Inspector Freion think he's-"

"Now, now, Inspector Morrigan. Haven't you ever heard that criminals always return to the scene of the crime?"

The voice was just loud enough to be audible against the busy backdrop of the office building. Meg and Morrigan turned around to see a man entering through the crack in the door, trying his best not to open it any wider. Morrigan was too shocked to do anything, but Meg stepped forward and blocked the entryway.

"Excuse me, this is a private office. Do you have an appointm-" Her voice cut off abruptly as she caught sight of the man's face.

"No need for this sort of thing. I'm just dropping by on behalf of my good friend Inspector Wizer. He wanted me to make sure that his favorite protégé wasn't giving up on this case."

"M-Mister… Xellos?" Morrigan stammered, tripping over his own chair to move to the other side of the desk, knocking over the stack of papers in the process. "What are you…? I mean, I though you worked for Lowell Enterprises. You have a connection with the Bureau of Investigation?"

"Oh, no!" Xellos waved his hands dismissively. "Of course not! I'm just a personal friend of Wizer's. We go  _way_ back. It's my day off today- Human Resources is a terribly taxing profession to be in- and I thought I'd pay him a visit."

"A… personal friend of Inspector Freion's… You didn't tell us that before." Morrigan spoke nervously.

"You didn't ask." Xellos quipped. "Besides, that's the whole reason for my request of anonymity. If someone knew that I was a personal friend of one of the lead detectives in the bureau of investigation, they might doubt the validity of my claims, and you know we  _can't_ have that."

"B-but-"

"You don't doubt me, do you, Max?"

"O-of course I don't. I'm just… a little overworked at this point. Too much is happening all at once."

Xellos gave him an encouraging slap on the shoulder, though whether or not it was taken the way it was intended was hard to say. "Don't worry so much! It's a long boat ride to Chateau Augustine. You'll be able to figure things out on the way. But, if I were you, I'd get moving! Wizer won't be happy if you keep him waiting."

"R-right." Morrigan coughed and grabbed a few papers off his desk before stuffing them in his bag and moving toward the door. "You heard the man, Meg. Let's go."

"Yes'sir!"

Xellos watched as Morrigan left the office and then turned his attention to Meg, who was still gathering things together and stamping papers that needed acknowledgement of receipt. He wasn't going to say anything, but for once she was the first to initiate a conversation.

"Xellos- er, uh, Mister Xellos… why did Inspector Freion put you up to this?"

"I beg your pardon? I don't understand what you're asking me."

Meg lowered her voice cautiously. "You and I both know that Adelaide is innocent. Why would Inspector Freion hire you to frame her? What good is that supposed to do?"

Xellos chuckled in amusement, approaching her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "My dear, you seem to be under the assumption that Wizer organized this whole affair and asked me to be a part of it- not the other way around. Considering that you're humans and I'm a Mazoku, that's treading on dangerous ground, don't you think?"

"Y-you…"

"Wizer's not a fool. He knows firsthand that I'd kill him if ordered to by my superiors. It's in his best interest to do everything he can to make me happy when our goals align anyway. He knows just as well as I do how to use pawns to his advantage, and, unlike me, he's not afraid to lie. If I want to capture Abaddon, I need him to organize it."

"…the whole Bureau of Investigation…" Meg murmured darkly, clutching her belongings to her chest. "…we're nothing more than pawns in the hands of the Mazoku now. Th-this is exactly what happened before with Arthur-"

"Abaddon will pay for what they did." Xellos tapped her on the nose with a smile. "But only if you let the Mazoku do our job."

Meg's voice cracked as she spoke. "Th-then you expect me to sit here and do  _nothing_ -"

"Not nothing. We have very specific jobs for you. Stay in line and play your part."

Meg was silent for a moment. "But at what cost?"

"Meg? Where'd you go? I thought you were right behind me." Before Xellos could provide an answer- or lack thereof- to Meg's question, Morrigan's voice interrupted them and the woman was forced to leave. She sent a glance back to Xellos, but he shook his head.

"The boy stays ignorant." he spoke again. "His sense of justice is too great. He'll never be willing to make the necessary sacrifices. Keep him convinced that he's in the right."

"Yes sir." Meg nodded as she closed and locked the office door behind her. She felt no strangeness in locking Xellos in the room- her experience with Mazoku had been too extensive. There was no need to worry.

* * *

"Just… before you say anything, let me explain in detail." Adelaide prefaced her story, nervously eyeing Zelgadis' sword. "The thing I'm looking for… it doesn't really have a name. It's a vessel that my mother collected when she was still studying Shinzoku power. She used it a lot with her early experiments to save resources. You understand that the power of the gods has control over time- well, not time exactly, but the effects of time on materials and organisms. This vessel was designed by priests long ago to harness this power in order to regress objects to a former state."

"Regression magic?" Zelgadis murmured, lowering his sword slowly. "I'd heard about sorcerers trying to harness that power in the search for immortality. Something like that could be used to gain eternal youth-"

"-that is, if it didn't lose power over the years. The vessel only contains so much power, and once it's used up, that's it." Adelaide continued. "Mother wasn't going to waste its power treating it as an end. To her, it was the means to an end, or at least the means to a more convenient method. She used it on small animals to conserve test subjects. With the regression magic, she could run tests on a single subject multiple times, resetting the effects between each. It's easier to keep your tests secret when you're not constantly buying materials, and using the  _same_  subject each time helps to keep extraneous variables from causing experimental error."

"Plus, if a public figure started harnessing the power of eternal youth, people would notice."

"Of course."

"So how did such a powerful, sought-after vessel end up in your mother's hands?" Zelgadis was finding himself lost in the story and had to remind himself to be wary of potential lies.

"I don't have a clue. I was too young to really remember, and I wasn't involved in her experiments at that point anyway."

"She wasn't experimenting on you yet?"

"No, not until Abaddon got involved and made her switch." Adelaide tapped her chest. "Brau demon, remember?"

"Ah. Right."

"When Abaddon made her switch and banned all White Magic from her experiments, she had someone place a strong seal over the vessel to keep Abaddon from finding out about it. She stored it… with her sword collection. Wherever my father's sword is, the vessel is there too."

"So the sword story is a good cover for your real intentions."

"It's not a cover! I really do want to get my father's sword back!" Adelaide hissed. "My father's memory means a lot to me. I want to honor that. But I also want to be… normal."

"You seem pretty normal to me."

"That's not it. I'm not always in control of my actions. You're a very well-made chimera, so you wouldn't understand. Poorly-made chimeras sometimes-"

"-sometimes forfeit the consciousness of their primary component to the consciousness of their secondary component. I get it." Zelgadis finished her sentence for her. "I've studied chimeras in-depth. I know all about that."

"Losing myself is… terrifying." Adelaide wrapped her arms around chest and shut her eyes tightly. "It's been months since the last time it happened, but I can't get that memory out of my mind. When I started at school, I joined the Order of the Holy Sword in hopes that their focus on humanity would help me control the demon part of me, but… it didn't. I don't want to ever lose myself like that again. I have to unbreak the seal on the vessel and get it to return me to how I was before."

"So why were you so reluctant to tell me all this? Do you think the vessel won't have enough power left to change us both-"

"No, it's not that at all!" Adelaide interrupted him. "I was reluctant to tell you because I don't think you should go through with it."

"And who are  _you_  to tell  _me_  what I should or shouldn't do?" Zelgadis hissed, stepping closer. Adelaide shot back a short distance, intimidated by his sudden ferocity. "You don't have any idea what I've been through!"

"I don't, I don't!" Adelaide shook her head desperately. "But you do- and what would happen if you lost that? Zelgadis, when the vessel's magic causes physical regression, I don't know what it does to memory. You could lose everything."

Zelgadis paused, regarding what she was saying. "So you think regression to a former physical state involves regressing to a former mental state as well?"

"I don't know. It's a risk."

"A risk that  _you're_ willing to take, but you don't think I should do the same?"

"You have… a lot that I don't. You have friends, a job, an established life, someone who loves you dearly. Depending on when you were turned into a chimera, you'd lose a lot. I'd… probably be better off."

"You think?"

"I assume. I don't have anything in the last ten years that I particularly want to remember."

"You'd be a child again. You'd have to be sent to a relative or another boarding school."

"That's not a problem. At least I'd be normal and not have to worry about scaring friends away. I wouldn't have my mother to worry about. I wouldn't even remember all the pain I've been through. I'd love… to forget that."

Zelgadis was quiet for a moment, regarding the girl. "You've really thought this through."

"Of course I have. I'm not going to do something so rash without giving it plenty of thought."

"Then you're better than most of this group." Zelgadis gave a laugh, calming Adelaide's nerves slightly. "You and I really are alike. You're just far more polite than I am."

"You think I'm polite? Thank you!" Adelaide smiled brightly for a moment before her expression finally softened. "Please think about what I said, will you? I understand that you must want this very badly, but… you have to think about what you'll give up. I don't want to see you miserable- even if I don't remember who you are."

"Hah. You're an interesting person, I'll give you that. I'm still not completely sure whether or not you're innocent, but I'd hate to see you arrested. Thank you for being cooperative- even if it took a nudge or two." Zelgadis reached out and offered his hand to shake. Adelaide moved to accept it, but stopped suddenly.

"U-um… don't you think that's a bad idea? The Brau Demon energy might…"

"I'm not worried." Zelgadis didn't move, and his resolve gave Adelaide the bravery to grasp his hand. When nothing happened, she allowed her stiff muscles to relax and shook his hand a few times.

"Thank you for trusting me. If I become a child again with no memory of this, can I trust you to put me in a good boarding school?"

"Why a boarding school? Are you  _sure_ you don't have any relatives you could live with?"

Adelaide took a step back, thinking it over. "Not that I know of. My father- er, step-father- had a father I knew, but his father died when I was about nine years old. My birth father has relatives as far as I know, but he was estranged from them, so I don't know anything about them other than that they exist. He was… the son of some high-ranking priest, but I guess they didn't get along."

Zelgadis frowned. A high-ranking priest and an estranged son… this was sounding a little too familiar for comfort. "Do you know if your father had an older sister?"

"I don't."

"But you're sure that his father was a  _priest_?"

"…pretty sure."

"And your father  _could've_ had an older sister?"

"Y-yeah, I mean, I'm sure he  _could've_ , but…" Adelaide stared curiously. "Do you think you know my aunt? Is that what this is about?" Her expression brightened as she continued. "Is she alive? Is she someone that I might be able to live with-"

"The woman I'm thinking of is dead." Zelgadis quickly shot her hopes down. "She died when I was young, but I knew her well. Her father was a powerful, well-known priest, and she had a brother, who… didn't care very much for either of them. She and her brother grew up in poverty because of their father's tendency to give everything he had to those he felt needed it more. Their father was well-known for his humanitarianism and the miracles that he worked, and people took care of him and his children, but they had few actual possessions. I guess the son just got fed up with living that sort of life and ran away. He declared that someday he'd be rich… I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up marrying into nobility without considering the risks involved."

"W-was his name Rafael…?" Adelaide ventured.

"My gods, it  _was_." Zelgadis' eyes widened and he took a step back. Adelaide noticed his reaction and ran to him with more questions.

"What does that mean? You knew my aunt? You know my family? I  _have_  family? You've gotta tell me, come on-"

"I  _did_  know your family… especially your grandfather…  _our_  grandfather…" His voice cut off. "Adelaide, your birth father was my uncle. We're  _cousins_."

It took a moment for Adelaide to process what he'd said. She blinked a few times before a big smile spread across her face. Before Zelgadis knew what had happened, she'd thrown her arms around his neck and had lifted her legs off the ground, putting her whole weight on his shoulders.

"H-hey! Watch it! You can't just-" " _Oh, Zelgadis, I can't believe it!_ I had no idea-" "-jump on people like that without warning them-" "-that this was even possible, I mean-" "-first. Do you expect me to-" "-I knew you'd said we were alike, but I couldn't have-" "-support you like an inanimate object just because I-" "-ever imagined that we would be-"

"Zelgadis? Miss Adelaide? Are you two alright-"

Amelia stopped abruptly. She'd walked out onto the porch to check on them, just to make sure that they weren't fighting. She hadn't expected to see Adelaide in Zelgadis' arms.

"-what are you-"

"Oh, Amelia!" Adelaide exclaimed, letting go of Zelgadis so abruptly that he almost fell over. She ran to Amelia's side and grabbed her hands, twirling the princess around in excitement. "You'll never believe it! It turns out that Zelgadis and I are  _cousins_! I had no idea- I didn't even know I had family! This is so exciting, I can't even begin to-  _hey!_ Do you realize, if you and he get married, that'll make  _you_ my cousin too? That would be AMAZING-"

Zelgadis grabbed Adelaide by the shoulder, tugging her away from a very confused Amelia.

"Calm. Down."

Adelaide gave him a look of indignance and let go, stepping away with a clear effort to maintain her composure. "I'm perfectly calm, thank you very much."

"C-cousins…" Amelia murmured, still trying to understand what was going on. "…ah! Of course. So  _that's_ what was going on."

"Amelia, you didn't think…" Adelaide blinked, noticing Amelia's relief. "…y-you didn't think I was trying to flirt with him, did you? That's  _awful_!"

"I'm sorry Miss Adelaide! I didn't mean to. It was the first thing that came into my mind- I don't mean to question your character, I promise-"

"Honestly." Adelaide crossed her arms and pouted. "Even if I  _was_  attracted to men, I wouldn't pursue a man who was already in a committed relationship. That's common sense."

"Y-yes, I know. Again, I'm sorry. I had no intention of-"

Zelgadis stepped in, cutting Amelia off. "Don't worry about it, you two. There's no reason that you should be fighting over something so petty. Adelaide, you can go back inside now. I believe our conversation has covered all the information it needs to."

"O-okay." Adelaide initially frowned in disappointment, but she noticed that Zelgadis seemed to be shooing her away to have a moment with Amelia, and she didn't want to deny him that. With an obedient nod, she gave him another quick hug before running back toward the cabin. "I'll support whatever decision you make, so long as you believe it's the best for you."

"…decision?" Amelia watched Adelaide as she ran back inside. "What kind of discussion did I miss? How in the world are you two related?"

"We're cousins. My mother and her father were siblings."

"Your mother… she was Rezo's…"

"Yes. She was Rezo's daughter. Adelaide is the granddaughter of the Red Priest." Zelgadis spoke with a forced laugh. "It's too bad that Uncle Rafael never spoke with his family again after running away. Rezo would've been  _thrilled_ to know he had a granddaughter too… not that being separated from him kept Adelaide safe from being used as a lab rat. What a family- with Rezo on one side and Gioconda on the other, it's a wonder that Adelaide turned out the way she did. She's… a very kind person."

Amelia smiled. "So does this mean you think she's innocent now?"

"I… don't know what to think." Zelgadis shook his head. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day."

"What was she saying about making a decision? Zelgadis, is there something you need to talk to me about?"

"N-no. Not yet. It's something I need to think over myself first."

"…okay." Amelia reached out and touched his arm. "Remember that I'm always here if you need me. I love you."

"I love you too." Zelgadis murmured.  _You and Gourry and Lina and my_ life  _in general, and... that makes the decision so much more difficult._


	14. Top of the Ladder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Thank you very much.

 

**14- Top of the Ladder**

" _Arthur?"_

_It was the fourth time that she had called his name, and yet the young man hadn't responded. With a mix of concern and frustration, the woman approached his desk, gripped a handful of his hair, and tugged_ hard _._

" _Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow- HEY! What do you think you're doing? I'm studying!" He jerked his head around, rubbing his scalp with a pout. "That hurt, y'know."_

" _Have you eaten yet?" The woman was unfazed by his response._

" _Of course. I had a decent breakfast."_

" _It's mid-afternoon. I was talking about lunch."_

"…"

" _Arthur, you have to eat. You can't keep up like this. I'll make anything you want, just_ please  _take a break from working."_

_Arthur groaned and brushed a few strands of blond hair out of his face. "Why do we humans have to eat so often? There's already not enough time in the day for all the things I need to do. I'm_ so _close-"_

" _That's what you've been saying for the past_ three days _."_

" _Y-yeah, but look at this!" He grabbed a piece of paper from the desk and waved it in front of her. "I've been working on this math all morning. Do you see this? Do you know what this means?"_

"… _you know this is just a paper full of numbers to me."_

" _Yes! That's it! A paper full of numbers!"_

" _Arthur-"_

" _A paper full of numbers that_ don't add up _!"_

" _Arthur, please-"_

" _Don't you get it? This is what I've been looking for! The budget doesn't add up- there's something missing! It must be the missing piece that proves my theory- it_ has  _to be-"_

" _ARTHUR."_

_The room fell quiet._

"… _please… you've been working nonstop, and not taking care of yourself. I'm worried about you. I can look at you and tell you haven't been sleeping- your eyes are so dull and lifeless now. I miss your smile."_

" _B-but… I_ am  _smiling, aren't I?" Arthur's face fell, answering his own question. "Has something changed? I've been working so hard-"_

" _That's just it. You've become obsessed. I'm concerned for both your safety and your work. Under this kind of pressure, the quality of your work is likely suffering, and as your assistant, I have to-"_

" _Don't talk like that. You're not my assistant… unless you've changed your mind… d-does it have something to do with my recent behavior?" He scrambled out of his seat, dropping the paper so that he could grab hold of her hands. "Please, I didn't mean- I had no idea- I just-"_

" _Arthur, don't worry." She gripped his hands tightly to cut him off. "I was talking about the Sorcerers' Guild. They trust me to look out for your work. I haven't changed my mind. I wouldn't."_

_There was a pause, and a look of utter relief passed over the man's features. He collapsed partially, pulling the woman into a tight hug. "…oh, thank goodness… I'm so sorry…"_

" _Don't be sorry for me." She returned the gesture. "I was scared for your sake. You're always so determined, you can be so stubborn when you get your mind set on something. I was afraid that you'd hurt yourself, or worse. I couldn't bear to see you do that."_

_Arthur separated himself from her, frowning pensively. "…if you're saying I should drop the project… I-I can't just-"_

" _Drop it? No, no, of course not!" she gasped. "I wouldn't ask you to do that after everything you've done. There are people counting on you for this. Dr. Wilson gave you all that reaction data, and…"_

" _Yes! Dr. Wilson! I forgot that I needed to write to him." Arthur jumped back over to his desk, rummaging through some of the papers that had been tossed to the side._

" _You haven't written him yet?"_

" _N-no. I forgot. I suppose that I can put last Wednesday's date on the letter and include a bit about how I hope it doesn't get lost in the mail, so maybe he'll assume that it_ did _get lost in the mail-"_

" _That's devious. Just say you forgot."_

" _After all he's done for me?" Arthur tugged a piece of stationery from the pile of papers, though he had to steady the pile so that it wouldn't fall over. "He risked his career supporting me in Sairaag- had to move all the way to Ruvinigald because of it. I can't just_ forget _about him."_

" _He'd understand, Arthur. Trust me. He understands your dedication to the Sword of Light. You've been working with it since you were small. It's not something you can just give up."_

" _You're… right…" Arthur let his voice trail off as he dipped his pen in the inkwell again. "Alright then, Meg, what's today's date?"_

" _It's the twelfth of May."_

" _I'll put the seventh, just to be safe."_

"Arthur! _"_

* * *

"It's not as big a house as I'd feared. I'd say that three hours would allow us all the time we need to find what we're looking for and get out." Zelgadis had taken charge of the small group that had departed to explore the house, much to Lina's disappointment. She resigned herself to taking orders from him only because she knew that they'd never get anything done if they were arguing amongst themselves, and… to be honest, she really did want to explore the house.

"Zelgadis and I will examine the upper levels." Amelia offered. "Miss Lina, you and Mister Gourry can take the lower floors and the cellar."

"Hear that? The cellar is where they keep all the good food." Gourry grinned, elbowing Lina, though Amelia was quick to shut him down.

"Please don't eat anything, you two. You should know better than that."

"Besides that, we need to make the most of the time we have. While I trust Pokota's capabilities, I still don't like letting Adelaide out of our sight for this long." Zelgadis added.

"Aw, you're concerned for your dear cousin all of a sudden?" Lina cooed. "Quite a change of attitude from this time yesterday."

" _No,_ that's not it. I'm concerned about her because there's a possibility that people from the Ruvinigald area have arrived here and are searching the area. She's still a wanted criminal, and we're all accomplices, so if she gets captured, it could mean our heads." Zelgadis shook his head, adamant of his position. "I still suspect her."

"Whatever you say." Lina shrugged, but her smug grin didn't waver. Gourry leaned closer to her and whispered.

"He's lying. He doesn't suspect her at all."

"Gourry, what are you whispering about?"

"Food stuff."

"Mister Gourry, I told you not to-"

"We know, we know!" Lina waved her hands dismissively. "Gourry and I will start on the first floor and move to the cellar. You two can go to the second floor and work your way up to the attic. Agreed?"

"Agreed. Good luck." Amelia nodded.

"We'll meet back here in three hours." Zelgadis added. "If we don't find you, we'll come looking for you."

* * *

"Be careful where you step, Amelia. This ladder doesn't seem to be very sturdy…" Zelgadis spoke a little more to himself than to his partner as he worked his way up the folding ladder that led into the doorway in the ceiling, offering access to the attic. The house was old and musty, and smelled of mold in places, and the two feared that the attic would be worse. Zelgadis gripped the frame tighter as he felt one of the rungs starting to give way under his feet. "If it breaks, just stay where you are, and I'll pull you up-"

" _Levitation!_ "

"…or, I suppose you could do that."

Zelgadis allowed Amelia to pull him the rest of the way onto the attic floor, not willing to verbally acknowledge his lack of common sense in the situation. They both activated  _lighting_ spells at the same time, illuminating the area around them.

"Are you okay, Zelgadis?"

"I'm fine. The ladder was breaking a little, but I didn't slip-"

"No, I mean…" Amelia interrupted him. "…are you  _okay_? You've been really out of it since we got into the house and started exploring. First the curtains in the master bedroom, then the uneven floorboards… your head doesn't still hurt, does it?"

"No it doesn't, thanks to you." Zelgadis responded quickly. "I'm just a little stressed, I suppose. There's nothing wrong with me."

"Are you  _sure_?"

Forcing a smile, Zelgadis gave her a friendly pat on the head. "Don't worry about it."

He moved away after a moment, but Amelia slapped her hands over her head and yelled at him. " _Hey!_ Don't give me that you-wouldn't-understand-don't-worry nonsense! If you don't want to tell me, be honest and say 'I don't want to tell you.' Don't patronize me!"

"S-sorry." Zelgadis flinched instinctively, hearing her raise her voice. "I just didn't want you to worry."

"Well, too bad. I'm worried. So either say something or tell me straight that you don't want to. As long as you're honest and respectful, I'll accept it. I'm just tired of you treating me like a child."

Zelgadis frowned, the guilt of her accusation weighing on him. He'd already promised her earlier not to treat her as childish, yet somehow his desire to protect her came through a little differently than he intended. He knew it was his fault, but no matter how hard he tried, somehow it still happened. He opened his mouth to give another apology, but his first syllable was cut off by a crash behind them. The sound of wood snapping, a yelp, and the ladder clattering against the floor below, caught both of them off-guard. Amelia rushed to the door first, looking down through the floor in concern. Zelgadis joined her, but immediately saw the source of the noise and turned around.

"Nope. Not doing this. Sorry."

Amelia ignored Zelgadis' reaction. "M-Mister Xellos! What are you doing here? Are you okay?"

Xellos, who had fallen and been trapped under the ladder, pulled himself back up to a sitting position, moving what remained of the ladder off his chest and placing it to the side. "Well, I've been better. I didn't think I was heavy enough to break the ladder, but sometimes it's hard to remember to properties of my own physical form. Oh dear. And I was so excited too- I heard the unmistakable sound of a lovers' quarrel, and just  _had_  to come by and see it."

"Well,  _sorry_. Quarrel's over." Zelgadis spat. "I was the one in the wrong and I apologize." He paused a moment and then bristled as he thought more about what Xellos had said. "A-and what gives you the impression that we're lovers?"

"Well, the fact that you didn't ask that to start with is one thing."

"You-"

"But besides that, what are you two doing up here? You don't seem to be doing the normal things that you human couples seem to enjoy when you're alone. Are you searching for something?"

"We were searching for Gioconda's sword collection, but we already found that on the second floor." Amelia spoke up. "For some reason, Zelgadis wanted us to keep looking."

"I just want to see what's  _here_." Zelgadis insisted.

"And what exactly does Lady Adelaide want from this house?" Xellos asked. "Er, I'm sorry,  _claim_  to want from this house?"

"She's looking for her step-father's sword." Amelia offered. "Gioconda stole it from him when she killed him and mounted it as a trophy. Miss Adelaide wants to recover it and use it for the purpose it was intended for- as a weapon in the hands of a skilled swordsman."

"A very noble goal…" Xellos grunted as he jumped up and grasped the edge of the doorway, trying to pull himself up onto the attic floor. "A…Amelia… could you help…?"

"Don't help him." Zelgadis instructed, but Amelia ignored him and grabbed hold of the Mazoku's arms to pull him up into the attic. She clearly overestimated the effort it would take to pull him up, and fell back a short distance.

"M-Mister Xellos! You weigh almost nothing!"

"Then how did he…?" Zelgadis glared at him. "You broke the ladder on purpose, didn't you?"

"Ah, yes, I  _do_  enjoy falling on my back and having a large wooden ladder fall on my face while I'm trying to sneak up on people. It's such fun." Xellos offered with enough cheerfulness that neither Amelia nor Zelgadis could figure out whether or not he was being sarcastic.

"You're ignoring the obvious question, Xellos. What are  _you_ doing here?" Zelgadis strolled over to where the Mazoku was sitting on the edge of the attic door, swinging his legs back and forth playfully. "I can't imagine that you came all this way just to bother us."

"You wouldn't believe that I did? You and your friends are very important bother-ees, you know." Xellos pouted.

Zelgadis frowned. "We're  _not_ \- is that even a word?"

"As it turns out, I'm not here for you. I'm here making certain that my dogs from the Ruvinigald Bureau of Investigation are doing their jobs correctly."

"…dogs…?" Amelia murmured, exchanging an uneasy glance with Zelgadis. "I take it you don't mean, like,  _actual_ dogs…?"

"The Bureau of Investigation people are  _here_?" Zelgadis demanded.

"Oh, yes! That young inspector, ah… Maximillian, I believe his name is. He's here investigating the house on the orders of his higher-ups. I'm not really worried about him- it's his assistant that I'm worried about. She has a personal grudge against Abaddon, and I'm scared that she'll try to take matters into her own hands. Meanwhile, my pal Wizer is outside the house working on other things."

" _Other things_?" Zelgadis murmured, and then suddenly stiffened in realization. "Adelaide-!"

"Calm down, calm down." Xellos waved his hands back and forth quickly. "You don't have to worry about her. If the Ruvinigald government caught her at this stage in our plan, it would ruin everything."

"What are you talking about? What plan is this?" Zelgadis turned on his heels, glaring intently at Xellos. "Or… are you just teasing us with bits and pieces of information with no intention of providing the details?"

"There's no details to leave out." Xellos shrugged. "It's a plan to capture Abaddon. That's it."

"… _what_?"

Xellos made a few slow, abstract hand gestures as he spoke. " _Cap-ture_. It means to find someone and-"

"We know what it means!" Zelgadis barked. "Don't treat us like children!"

Amelia cleared her throat loudly, and Zelgadis blushed, realizing immediately what she was upset about. His first reaction was to avert his gaze, but he felt guilty- he  _had_ accepted blame for it, and he didn't want to risk seeming impenitent. Instead, he sent her an apologetic look, and her stern expression softened in reply.

Xellos probably caught on, but he didn't indicate as such.

"I think what confused Zelgadis wasn't the wording, but the reasoning. Why are you interested in Abaddon?"

"Why, indeed." Xellos tapped his cheek. "If you're asking, you must not have any idea what Abaddon is. That's a shame. I thought you'd be better informed. I suppose it's asking a little much of you- would you like to remedy that, then?"

"…what do you mean?" Amelia ventured. "You mean that you'd tell us about Abaddon?"

"Yes."

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Zelgadis interjected, reaching for Amelia's hand and pulling her closer. "You're never this up-front about things."

"It's in my best interest if you know." Xellos replied curtly. "That's it."

"In your best interest? What does that even  _mean_?"

"It means that it's in my best interest, Zelgadis. What more do you want from me?" Xellos shrugged his shoulders. "You really should learn to take a gift when it's offered to you."

"Information from you is no gift-"

"We'll take it." Amelia butted in, pushing Zelgadis aside. "We'll take it, alright? Tell us about Abaddon."

" _Amelia!_ " Zelgadis hissed, pulling her aside. He tried his best to whisper, though he was fairly sure Xellos could hear them anyway and there was no point. "I'm really not interested in anything Xellos has to say."

"Oh, come on! He said it's better for him if we know, so it makes sense that he'd tell the truth."

"But how will us knowing benefit him? Aren't you the least suspicious about that? What if he's just feeding us nonsense to waste our time?"

Xellos cleared his throat loudly. "If you're suspicious of me, Zelgadis, I'm perfectly content not to tell you anything. There's no point in forcing knowledge down your throat if you really want to remain ignorant. I thought that  _you_ of all people would know that knowledge is power, but… well… if you'd rather-"

"We'll listen!" Amelia insisted, pulling away from Zelgadis and moving to sit on one of the boxes in a corner. As she did, there was a rustling noise, and a pair of mice scurried out from underneath. It provided enough distraction that Zelgadis was able to find a seat for himself.

"Fine. If Amelia thinks we really need this information, I'll listen. But I'll be skeptical of everything."

"That's what I like to hear!" Xellos clapped his hands together. "A healthy dose of skepticism never hurts! But this time I'll be telling the truth. You see, way back before any of this universe was created, all that is existed as a mass of chaos-"

"Wait, wait, wait." Zelgadis waved his hands.

"What? Lost already? You're going to have a poor time following this story, if that's the case."

"I wasn't saying that! I thought you were going to tell us about Abaddon!"

Zelgadis couldn't say what he was expecting to hear out of Xellos, but it certainly wasn't what came out of his mouth.

"I am."

No sarcasm, no snarky attitude, not even a smile. Zelgadis and Amelia glanced at one another uneasily.

"…alright, then. Continue."


	15. Hiding to Nothing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy! [Scheduling concerns will be addressed in the post-chapter note.]

**15- Hiding to Nothing**

"When I said 'watch your step,' it was a command, not a recommendation." Lina pulled herself to her feet, brushing off her clothing and glaring in Gourry's direction. He was still lying with his back against the cellar stairs where he'd fallen, somewhat in a daze. Lina approached him and grabbed one of his hands to pull him to his feet. "You didn't hit your head, did you?"

"N-no…"

"Good." Lina gave him a not-so-gentle knock on the side of the head. "Be more  _careful_ next time- or at least walk in front if you're going to fall. You knocked me over too."

"Well, I'm sorry that those tiny steps were too narrow for my feet." Gourry grumbled, following after her. "Will you create a light or something? I can't see a thing."

Lina rolled her eyes, but held up her hand to cast a spell. " _Lighting_."

Nothing happened.

"I  _said_ ,  _Lighting!_ "

"What's the matter?"

"There… there must be a magical seal or something. I can't get my spell to work."

Gourry frowned and glanced around, trying to find a point of reference in the darkness. "That's… odd. Lighting is so simple…" Finally noticing a suspicious-looking point of light on the other side of the room, he stumbled over towards it with his hands held out in front of him to keep from bumping into anything. He didn't bump into anything, of course- the area was a big empty space. However, the light was exactly what it had appeared to be: a sliver of light shining through a tiny window near the ceiling. The cellar wasn't totally underground, and there was just enough room to allow some natural lighting to come in. Pulling back the curtain gave the pair a better look at the room, but there wasn't much to look at.

"Yikes!" Lina flinched instinctively. "Ugh, is that a rug? What a hideous design! I forgot how terrible Gioconda's taste in home furnishings was."

"It is pretty bad, isn't it?" Gourry bent over to examine it. He'd been surprised to walk over a carpeted portion of the floor on his way toward the light, since the majority of the basement floor was tiled. "But I'd say it fits with Gioconda's taste pretty well. No matter what Abaddon was doing in this house, he at least let Gioconda do the decorating."

Lina looked around the rest of the room before returning her gaze to the carpet. There really wasn't much to look at. An empty bookshelf and a large, empty wardrobe sat in one corner, while a simple wooden table was against the opposite wall. "…does it feel like something's missing, to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I feel an odd energy, like something that had been in here for a long time was very recently moved."

Gourry seemed to consider it a moment before nodding his head in agreement. "The energy lingers even when the source has been removed. You don't think Abaddon knew we were coming and moved everything, do you?"

"I don't see why Abaddon would still be using this location for experiments. It belongs to the Ruvinigald government now, doesn't it?" Lina got down on her hands and knees and began examining the rug in closer detail.

"Lina, what are you doing?"

"I have a feeling that this rug doesn't belong here either. It was put here to hide something."

"But to hide what?" Gourry walked over and knelt down beside her. "You mean, like, there's something underneath it?"

"Think about it. Remember the tunnel we used to escape from Zoana? It was hidden under a bed, but a carpet could also be used to conceal the entrance to an underground passageway." Lina stood up again and walked around to the other side of the rug. "Help me pick this thing up. I want to move it and see what's underneath."

Gourry stood up with her, but frowned uneasily. "Lina… what if we pick it up and a whole bunch of bugs come out from under it?"

"You're a tough guy. You've fought Mazoku before. I'm sure you can handle a few bugs."

"And if there's a bunch of slugs-?"

" _Gourry please._ On the count of three, help me move the rug."

The rug itself was lighter than they'd expected, and it came up from the floor with no trouble. The two were easily able to toss it aside, but… they weren't able to celebrate the achievement. The sight of what was under the rug took far too much of their attention."

"Well…" Lina murmured. "It's definitely not a trap door."

* * *

"Fair lady, would you care for more sugar in your tea?"

"I would indubitably, your highness."

"Why, this tea has an exquisite flavor. Wouldn't you say so, my lady?"

"I agree wholeheartedly, Prince Posel-ington."

"Absolutely, Lady Adelaide… ington. What does that mean, again?"

"Adding –ington to any name automatically makes it fancy."

"Ah. I see. Very fancy."

"Indeed."

"Indeed."

There was a pause. The main room of the cabin was awfully quiet, and it was hard to find some sort of conversation to liven it up. Needless to say, there was no tea and no sugar. Just a pair of mismatched cups and some water. At least the well was working properly. Adelaide reached out for her cup, but Pokota stopped her.

"Now, you must remember that a true member of the nobility always drinks with their pinky extended."

"Of course, how could I have forgotten?" She quickly adjusted her grip on the cup. "I must have left my manners in my other dress. How careless."

"The others were so foolish to leave like they did. They're missing such wonderful tea." Pokota took a sip of his own water, trying to force a haughty smile. "What a waste. Oh well- more tea for us."

"I couldn't have said it better myself, your highness."

They both smiled to each other, but despite the amusing conversation, the happiness wasn't as sincere as they'd expected. The whole situation, being left behind, was not sitting well with either of them. Oh, sure, the whole safety issue made sense. Staying hidden and out of the way was important for Adelaide, and- she needs someone to protect her? Take the "fifth wheel." Wasn't that always the obvious choice?

"Should I… get some more tea for your highness?" Adelaide offered, glancing around. The group had pumped enough water from the well to last them a while, but she was getting restless with nothing to do and wanted an excuse to step outside. "I doubt there will be any danger. We haven't seen anyone around since we got here."

"You'll be fine." Pokota waved casually, though he quickly remembered their game. "I mean.. go forth, my lady. You should come to no harm."

Adelaide giggled as she left, and it allowed Pokota to smile. Even with the frustration of being left behind by their friends, they had made the best out of it, and he was grateful for Adelaide's pleasant demeanor about the whole situation.

He jumped up from his position on the table and moved to the window, pushing aside the makeshift curtain that the group had set up in order to glance outside. The cabin backed up to a piece of swampy land, and with the rainy weather, it had filled up with water. Pokota had never seen mosquitoes this size- and was grateful that the insects had no interest in his plush interior. He and Zelgadis had an advantage over the rest of the group, who had to suffer- healing spells did nothing for the itchy welts that mosquito bites left behind.

With a sigh, Pokota rested his head in his hands. For all he knew, the others might be fighting Mazoku or discovering some sort of magical secret. Why couldn't he and Adelaide see some action-?

That was the wrong thing to think.

The sound of a woman's scream sent a jolt through the animal's small body. He jumped from the windowsill, dashing toward the front of the house where the sound had come from. It was Adelaide- he had gotten used to her voice enough to be able to tell that. But he hadn't heard her scream like that since the scuffle in Zoana. Fearing the worst, he burst out the front door, not bothering to close it behind him. "Adelaide!"

He didn't initially see her, and panicked slightly, but that didn't last long. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the green of her dress, and within a split second she'd scooped him up in her arms and pulled him around the corner of the house. Adelaide didn't even bother to offer an explanation as she pressed herself against the side of the building, but that was probably because she was out of breath.

"Wh-what's going on?" Pokota demanded, squirming against her grip. His struggles only caused her to squeeze him tighter, however.

"Something attacked me from behind. I couldn't see it, so I think it was a Mazoku." Adelaide breathed quickly.

"Then why are we hiding?" Pokota didn't seem to realize that his struggling was making matters worse and continued to squirm. "Mazoku can sense where we are. We can't just hide from them by standing behind a wall."

"Well, what are we supposed to do? Stand out in plain sight? At least here we don't have to worry about being attacked from behind."

Finally, Adelaide loosened her grip and allowed Pokota room to move. He wriggled out of her arms and hopped up onto her shoulder. "Don't be so sure. Mazoku aren't bound to the same laws that we on the physical plane are bound to."

"Well, that's just lovely. What am I supposed to-" Adelaide's voice cut off as she felt a malicious presence reaching out from behind her with the intention of enveloping her. Instantly, her instincts took over. " _FIREBALL!"_

"Hey, hey!" Pokota tugged on her hair, pulling her away from the ensuing explosion. "Not so close to the cabin! Do you want this whole place to go up in flames?"

"What am I supposed to do? That's where the Mazoku was coming from!"

"You could at least use a less destructive spell, like an Elmekia Lance or something."

"Thanks for the tip! I'll remember to thoroughly think things through the next time I  _fear for my life!_ " Adelaide spat.

"You  _should_!" Pokota responded with equal fervor.

There was the sound of soft laughter from behind them, causing both to tense up and look around for the source. " _It's so much fun to watch friendships torn apart as conflicts arise. Humans like to pretend that they care about others' well-being, but when it comes right down to it, the only safety they truly care about is their own._ "

Adelaide and Pokota still couldn't figure out where the voice was coming from, but Pokota was determined not to let that frighten him. "Don't let it intimidate you, Adelaide. That's all it's trying to do."

"Too late for that. I'm already intimidated."

"D-don't say that out loud!"

"What does it matter? Mazoku can read our thoughts anyway, right?"

"They can read your  _emotions_ , but-"

"Same thing!"

There was an explosion aimed at Adelaide's feet, causing her to jump in response. She landed on uneven ground and tripped, and would have fallen over if Pokota hadn't caught her and helped to steady her again.

"We can't stay here!" he hissed. "If we do, it'll endanger our only safe shelter!"

"And what are we supposed to do, then? Run off and fight in the swamp?!"

"It's better than staying here and burning the cabin down!"

Another explosion rocked the ground beneath them, and they could see a shadowy figure reaching out towards them. Adelaide responded with a quick  _Elmekia Lance_ \- see? she could learn!- that allowed them a brief moment of respite that was enough to start running.

"We should be focused on fighting that Mazoku, not fighting each other! We're only giving it strength." The ground beneath Adelaide's boots felt less and less solid as she ran in the opposite direction of the house. Mud began to squish up around the soles, but thankfully Lina had picked out a nice, watertight pair that wasn't going to give way so easily. The biggest problem was making the way through the tall undergrowth- without a trail to follow, it was difficult, even for someone with the height advantage that Adelaide had. Pokota clung to her shoulder, silently directing her movements by tugging her in the direction he wanted her to run- it didn't always work, but at least he tried.

"I'm trying not to bicker. You're the one who's causing all the problems." Pokota gave a curt response. "Don't stop running."

"Easy for you to say- you're not the one knee-deep in weeds! We're going to be at a disadvantage, fighting on ground like this."

"You don't have to call them weeds. The undergrowth here is a vital part of this ecosystem-"

"They're in my way, so they're weeds and I don't give a damn!"

" _Adelaide-_ HEY!"

His initial calling of her name was meant to scold her for her narrow view of the environmental features, but in the middle of it her ankle caught on a particularly thick clump of willowherb and she toppled over, causing Pokota to yelp in concern.

"Ouch…" was the only response that Adelaide could give at first as she pulled herself up to her feet again. Her hands and knees were coated in a mix of soil and mud, and she wiped her hands off on her dress before continuing. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be yelling at you."

"No, I'm sorry. I was distracting you and there's no point in that while we have bigger problems to worry about."

Adelaide glanced around, stopping at the edge of a thick wall of conifers to assess their surroundings. "…did we lose the Mazoku?"

"I don't know. It's tough to tell." Pokota jumped up from her shoulder to the top of her head to get a better look around. They were in a valley area, and the ridge just next to them seemed to loom menacingly. "Maybe we should move to higher ground, just to be sure that we don't-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence, however. Adelaide screamed and jumped out from underneath him, and the environment around them suddenly went dark.

* * *

"Well…" Lina murmured. "It's definitely not a trap door."

"N-now, let's not jump to conclusions!" Gourry dropped his end of the rug so that it would fall over the stain on the floor, hiding it from their view again. "Maybe they were storing wine in the cellar, and one of the barrels spilled. It could've easily made a stain like that… right?"

Lina was not as disturbed by the sentiment. She pulled the rug aside so that she could drop to her knees and examine the stain that had soaked into the tile. "This doesn't look like wine to me."

"Look at the stain. People were stepping in it and sliding it around. No one would do that if it was really human blood. It might be from an animal, maybe something that was butchered for food, or-"

"Or the 'people' sloshing around in it were Mazoku with no regard for human life." Lina finished. "How much do you want to bet that this was where Abaddon killed Arthur Bedivere?"

"Did you  _miss_  what I said about jumping to conclusions?!"

"Gourry, what's got you so upset?" Lina stepped over to tug on his arm. "This stain is really old- four years, if it's what I think it is. There's nothing we could have done."

"I know, I know." Gourry shivered. "Maybe it's the cold, but I've got a bad feeling about this. We shouldn't try to figure this out ourselves… it's something to talk over with Zelgadis and Amelia and the others, right?" He walked over to where Lina had tossed the rug and began placing it back over the stain. "I get the feeling something bad is going to happen if we stay down here."

Lina glanced around uneasily. If she'd heard that from anyone else, she might laugh it off or tease them about being scared. But Gourry's instincts were seldom wrong, and if she'd learned anything in her years of traveling with him, it was that she'd do well to listen to what he had to say, no matter how illogical it might seem at the time. "…I guess, if you feel that strongly, maybe we should-"

Her voice was cut off as she noticed Gourry tense up, and a split second later she heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs that they'd come down. Within another moment, she was able to pick out the voices- and they were  _not_  the voices she was hoping to hear.

"That's not Zel and Amelia." Lina quickly spoke up, grabbing the back of Gourry's shirt and tugging him in the opposite direction. "C'mon, we've gotta get out of here!" she hissed in a whisper.

"And go  _where_? The only exit is through the staircase."

"Be quiet and maybe I'll find somewhere-"

She didn't have time to finish her sentence. Gourry grabbed hold of her and dragged her into the wardrobe in the corner, quickly tugging the doors closed as best he could. It was too small for even Lina to stand up straight, much less for Gourry, and the two found themselves hunched over, crammed into the tiny space as best they could. Lina squirmed uncomfortably.

"H-hey! What are you trying to do?"

"There might not  _be_  another exit. Searching for one in the dark like this would only get us caught."

"And so the best plan is to leave ourselves vulnerable like this?"

"Ow, Lina, you're stepping on my foot."

"Don't complain to me about your own stupid plan!"

"My back is starting to hurt, though." "Try sitting down." "There's not enough room." "And whose fault is that?" "This wardrobe looked way bigger from the outside." "No kidding it did-"

" _Shhh. I swear I hear voices coming from somewhere._ "

The sound of the man's statement grabbed Lina and Gourry's attention, prompting them to quickly close their mouths. Both of them immediately recognized the voice, but they weren't sure they wanted to believe their own ears. There was a pause, and then a woman spoke up.

"See? Nothing. I told you- it's only the echoes of our own voices. There's nothing of value down here."

"But I could've sworn I heard…"

"You heard what?"

"…a man and a woman…"

"See?"

Gourry's face was close enough to Lina's that he could whisper to her without moving. "…It's Meg and that Inspector guy. How did they find us?"

"That's a good question." Lina whispered back. "I smell a rat."

"In here?!" Gourry tensed up and his gaze flew to their feet.

"No, you idiot! I mean somebody's been giving them information on our whereabouts-!" Lina realized that she was being too loud and cut herself off abruptly. She wasn't fast enough, however.

" _Meg!_ I heard it! I know I did this time! That was  _not_  an echo-"

"With all due respect, Inspector, I didn't hear anything. Perhaps you're starting to hallucinate."

"You can't be serious! It was a woman's voice, plain as anything. I just can't figure out where it came from! It's too dark down here to see anything."

Lina and Gourry could hear Meg taking a few steps over the tile floor, likely toward Inspector Morrigan, the way her voice softened.

"That's exactly it. It's dark and your mind is playing tricks on you. I told you, there's nothing to see down here. Let's go before you trip over something and hurt yourself."

"…I…" Morrigan's voice trailed off as he began to answer. "…I know I heard  _something_ …"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for sticking around. I apologize for my absence these past few weeks. My health was very poor for a week or so to the point that I couldn't write or work on the story at all. Once I returned to normal, I had a big event that prevented me from updating on the regularly scheduled day. Because of my schedule, I will be posting a new chapter every other day for the next few weeks. I hope everyone enjoys it. Thanks again for reading and being supportive. I appreciate it very much!


	16. A Likely Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!
> 
> The terms "catastrophism" and "uniformitarianism" in our world refer to geological theories completely unrelated to the way that the words are used in this story. Please look them up if you're interested. Thank you!

 

**16- A Likely Story**

"Way back before any of this universe was created, all that is existed as a mass of chaos, infinitesimally small and infinitely dense- containing the entirety of the universe's energy in a space so small, it barely existed. Because it was infinitely dense it was infinitely chaotic. You've heard this story before, yes?"

"We have." Zelgadis and Amelia glanced at one another uneasily as Xellos began his tale. Zelgadis tried to keep a logical approach to the whole situation, but it was difficult when Xellos was going off on such a tangent. "Are you trying to tell us that Abaddon is as old as the universe?"

"No, of course not." Xellos waved one hand dismissively. "I'm merely setting the backdrop for our journey. Y'see, when the Lord of Nightmares' power created the universe, it did so by releasing all the energy which was contained in that chaotic point. No creature save for the Golden Lord herself would remember this, but it must have been an explosion so massive that nothing we can create in this world would ever come close. A 'big bang,' of sorts."

"Very funny. Continue." Zelgadis muttered dryly.

"Following this explosion, all energy and matter on various planes began to clump together based on density. It was through this that areas of positive energy and negative energy- miasma- formed and became what we could call proto-Mazoku and proto-Shinzoku. They were not immediately sentient, but these great masses of positive and negative energy were what would eventually become Shabranigdo and Cepheid. Once these masses of energy gained sentience- which, as far as we can tell, happened at precisely the same time, otherwise the power balance of this world might be far different- they began the great power struggle that would come to be known as the Shinma War."

"I remember reading a similar account of the creation of the world in a book." Amelia commented.

"Right." Zelgadis continued. "We have Shabranigdo and Cepheid. What about Abaddon?"

"I'm getting there. You're not a very patient person, are you?" Xellos pouted. "The Shinma War is called such because it was a genuine conflict, but it wasn't necessarily a  _war_ in the sense that you humans think of wars. Remember that it lasted from the creation of the universe until only about five-thousand years ago. The conflict in its entirety lasted for a length of time that even _I_  cannot fully comprehend, due to my limited life-span. For humans, it would be practically impossible. We're talking years not measured in thousands or millions, but in  _billions_. The entirety of human civilization was just  _beginning_ to form when this conflict ended. And yet… by the end of the Shinma War, Abaddon was already alive and well."

"So Abaddon is a Mazoku, then." Zelgadis spoke up. "If he's that old, then-"

Xellos' laughter cut him off. "Hah! I thought this might be your problem. There's a reason why you haven't been able to understand Abaddon's actions before- you seem to think that Abaddon is the name of an individual."

"Individual…? S-so you're saying that Abaddon is the name of a group?" Amelia gasped.

"Not just a group. Abaddon is a sect of what humans might consider the Mazoku 'religion." Xellos made quotation gestures around his last word. "It might be more accurate to call them a cult. Abaddon is a Mazoku cult."

* * *

"…I know I heard something…"

Lina found herself holding her breath. She knew that Morrigan was sharper than he let on, and if he found them hiding like this, it would ruin things. With the ward in effect, she couldn't use magic to aid their getaway, and that left hand-to-hand combat, which she did  _not_  want to initiate. Morrigan and Meg weren't people she wanted to hurt. As far as Lina knew, they were well-meaning, and only her enemies because they genuinely thought that what they were doing was right. There was no way that she was going to attack them, especially in close quarters like this.

"…but something about the atmosphere down here is giving me a headache. Maybe you're right. Let's go."

Lina exhaled in relief.

The two in the wardrobe waited until they couldn't hear the footsteps on the stairs any longer and finally allowed themselves to exit, taking a moment to stretch.

"Ow, ow… that really hurt…" Gourry leaned over backwards, trying to get rid of the pain in his back. "You were right. That was a stupid idea."

"It probably was our best option, though." Lina sighed, massaging her shoulders at the base of her neck. "You were right about not being able to find an exit in time- and if they had discovered us, things would've turned bad really fast. I wonder who's been feeding them information about us… it couldn't be Xellos, could it?"

"What makes you so sure they're getting information about our whereabouts?" Gourry asked. "Maybe they just figured that the criminal will always return to the scene of the crime."

"And just so happened to be investigating the house at the same time we were? It took us  _weeks_  to get here, Gourry. The same was probably true for them. This is too much of a coincidence- I don't like it."

"What should we do, then?" Gourry glanced around. "I don't want to leave the cellar knowing that they're somewhere in the house, but I hate feeling trapped down here."

"I agree. Somebody needs to warn Amelia and Zel, but we can't risk getting caught-"

" _-you weren't carrying anything. What could you have possibly left-" "Just go on without me! I'll catch up._ " " _Are you sure?" "I'm sure_."

Lina and Gourry stiffened at the sound of footsteps returning down the stairs. She grabbed hold of his arm and tugged him back in the direction of the wardrobe.

"I'm not getting back in there!" he protested, but she shoved him in anyway and pulled the doors closed behind them. "Ow! Hey! You made me hit my head on the-"

"Just be quiet!"

Lina shoved a hand over his mouth and they listened intently to the sound of footsteps. It was obviously Meg- her voice had been the one approaching, claiming that she'd left something. Lina didn't like the sound of that, considering that she hadn't seen anything different from before they'd hidden, but there was no way of telling for sure. Maybe Meg really had dropped something, and just needed to find it.

Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be the case, and as the woman's footsteps grew closer and closer to their hiding place, Lina tensed up. The sound of the wardrobe doors creaking open caused Lina to shut her eyes, bracing for the woman's shock as she revealed them-

"…that doesn't look very comfortable…"

"It's not." Gourry responded candidly while Lina was still opening her eyes, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Wh-what? What are you talking about? Of course it's comfortable! Why else would we be in here? You don't think we're  _hiding_  or anything, do you?"

"Lina, she's found us. My head still hurts- can we get out of here?"

Meg stepped back to give them some room. "I'm not here to arrest you, if that's what you're thinking."

"You're not? But I thought I was wanted by the Ruvinigald Kingdom for obstructing justice." Lina hopped out of the wardrobe, allowing a relieved Gourry to follow. "If you're not going to arrest me, why'd you come back?"

"You  _are_  wanted, and if Inspector Morrigan had found you, he would have arrested you. But I… I just want to talk to you."

Lina glanced over at Gourry, who was still rubbing the back of his head in pain. "Talk about what?" he asked curiously. "About Adelaide?"

"I know Lady Adelaide is innocent, and I want to help you." Meg responded. "But the Ruvinigald Bureau of Investigation is in the hands of the Mazoku right now. They're controlling all the higher-ups, and they're the ones who have us hunting Adelaide."

" _M-Mazoku_?" Lina stammered. " _They're_ the ones in control? Does Inspector Morrigan know? Does  _Inspector Wizer_  know?"

"Inspector Freion and Xellos are the ones leading the whole endeavor!" Meg raised her voice slightly, but quickly lowered it again when she heard the way it echoed around the room.

"Xellos! I should've known." Lina spoke the Mazoku's name as though it were a curse word. "Let me guess- Xellos and Wizer teamed up to go after Adelaide. Xellos anonymously framed her so that Wizer could start the witch-hunt without any suspicion."

"Yes."

"But why Adelaide?" Gourry interjected. "What do they want with her?"

"It's not Adelaide they want." Lina shot back. "It's Abaddon, remember? We discussed this. Wizer and Xellos would both have reasons to want to stop Abaddon, so it's no wonder that they'd work together. Inspector Wizer may be a strange old codger, but he's a sly one. He's teamed up with Xellos in the past to get what he wanted."

"What do you two know about Abaddon?" Meg spoke up, her voice beginning to shake. Lina and Gourry paused, looking over at her in surprise.

"…we know almost nothing." Lina admitted. "What's wrong with you?" She couldn't see Meg's face very well in the darkness, but from what she could see, the woman looked almost… terrified.

"Abaddon is a horrible, horrible group. They corrupt both humans and Mazoku and add them to their ranks to do their bidding-"

"Hold on a minute." Lina stopped her. "Abaddon is a  _group_? How do you know all this?"

"Y-you can't tell anyone that I know!" Meg waved her arms frantically. "Abaddon sees me as an enemy- I interfered with one of their plans several years ago, and if they find me now, there's no telling what they'll do-"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down." Lina quickly stepped forward, placing her hands on Meg's shoulders. "What do you mean, you interfered with their plan? What kind of plan were you involved in?"

Meg allowed her arms to fall to her sides for a moment before she wrapped them around herself for reassurance. "Before I worked for Ruvinigald, I worked with the Sairaag Sorcerers' Guild. I was an assistant for a very intelligent researcher who was learning about the origins of magic, and-"

"Arthur Bedivere." Lina interrupted. She could feel Meg tense up under her grip at the sound of the name.

"Yes. That was him. Arthur was not only the most intelligent man I've ever met, but he was always cheerful and optimistic. He genuinely loved the work that he did, and when people tried to tear him down for things that weren't even his fault, he was so heartbroken. We came here to this location in order to work in private, away from the prying eyes of the Sorcerers' Guild and his dissenters, but… that was exactly what Abaddon wanted."

Lina let go of Meg's shoulders and stepped in the direction of the rug, kicking it aside to examine the stain on the floor again. In the meantime, Gourry spoke up.

"From the way you talk, it sounds like you were far more than just his assistant."

Meg nodded, grasping her left hand in her right and tugging back and forth on her ring. "…I loved him dearly. We were going to be married. He was too high-profile for a big affair, so we decided to elope once he finished with his project. But he… he never got the chance…" Her voice broke and she cut off her sentence. Gourry reached out for her and she nodded in appreciation for the support.

"Why did Abaddon kill him?" Lina asked. "Did he know too much?"

"It wasn't just that. Abaddon also wanted something he had. He was researching the Sword of Light, and Abaddon felt threatened by what he was learning. Generations of humans had possessed the sword, but none had ever taken the time to probe its secrets, and Abaddon feared that if they did-"

"Wait a minute!" Gourry gasped. "Where did he get the Sword of Light? Who gave it to him? The Sword of Light belonged to my brother, and if Kent gave it to Arthur, that means you must know where Kent is! You've gotta tell me-"

"You…" Meg murmured, gently grabbing his hand and pulling it away from her. "…you do realize… Kent Gabriev and Arthur Bedivere were the same person."

Lina was on her hands and knees examining the tile underneath the rug and immediately froze. She'd had a sneaking suspicion about that in the middle of the night a few nights ago, but had discounted it and fallen back asleep. There was no way she would've suggested it to Gourry, if only because Arthur Bedivere was dead for sure. That would mean that all of Gourry's excitement and hopes for meeting his brother in the future would be for nothing. It would  _crush_  him.

"… _what_?" Gourry breathed.

"He spoke of you often." Meg continued. "Of all the things he did in his youth, leaving you behind was his one regret. He dreamed of meeting you again and showing you all the things he'd discovered. He wanted to prove to you that the Sword of Light really was from another world, and that he wasn't crazy, and that your efforts to save the sword from those who would misuse its power were not in vain. That's…" Her voice lowered a bit. "…that's how I knew when he first fell in love with me… because he began looking at me with the same affection he had in his eyes when he talked about you. You meant the world to him, Gourry."

Gourry, however, couldn't focus. His breathing had turned shallow and his face pale. His eyes never leaving the ground, he finally found the energy to speak up again.

"…Kent… is  _dead_?"

* * *

It had begun to rain, and the pattering of rain on the roof of the house could be heard by all those in the attic. Zelgadis and Amelia had paused, neither one quite sure what to say in response to Xellos' revelation. What  _could_ they say… other than ask for clarification?

"What do you mean by cult- or by religion in general?" Zelgadis asked. "Mazoku are demons."

"And you think that demons don't have spirituality? We're nothing  _but_  spirituality!" Xellos chuckled softly. "Since the moment Lord Shabranigdo gained sentience out of the void, the Mazoku have had one single purpose, and that has been to restore the infinite chaotic state that existed before the creation of the universe. To do this would mean achieving the higher purpose for which we were all created. I don't know what your definition of religion is, but that sounds like a religion to me."

"I get it." Amelia nodded. "So how does this Abaddon cult differ from the rest of the Mazoku?"

"For that, you'll need some understanding of the initial schism that split the Mazoku religion into two main groups." Xellos replied, changing positions on his box, as though preparing himself for a long lecture. "As Shabranigdo's subordinates and their subordinates grew more numerous, varying opinions on the specifics of the Mazoku religion began to appear. Mazoku did venture on the physical plane from time to time, but it still took a long while before they realized that they could use physical objects to convey information- the development of writing. Before this, Mazoku culture was a completely oral tradition, and naturally bits and pieces of stories got broken off and lost in translation. It's like that game that humans play as children, where they line up in a line and send messages down the line in whispers, until when it finally reaches the end, it's far different than what was originally said. What's it called?"

"Who cares?" Zelgadis rolled his eyes.

"Well, the Mazoku cared a great deal long ago." Xellos used the chimera's attitude as a good place to pick up his narrative. "Since the Mazoku knew their purpose but not necessarily the method that they were supposed to take in order to achieve that purpose, multiple viewpoints were established, the two main ones coming to be known as Uniformitarianism and Catastrophism. Uniformitarianist Mazoku believe that it is the small, day-to-day actions of the Mazoku as a whole that will eventually compile enough to send the universe back into chaos, whether gradually or all at once when a certain point is reached. They believe that, by doing their part to spread chaos, even a little at a time, they are aiding in the ultimate destruction of the universe. These Mazoku are the type to constantly stir up small trouble rather than formulating large, intricate plans."

"I take it you're a Uniformitarianist, then." Zelgadis commented.

"I'm  _not_ , actually, but Lord Beastmaster's viewpoints are difficult to put in a single category. Right now we have to focus on the second philosophy- catastrophism- because  _that's_ the philosophy off of which Abaddon was created."

"If uniformitarianists rely on uniform chaos to reach their end goal… does that mean catastrophists aim to end the world in some sort of major calamity?" Amelia thought out loud, shifting her position. She had found herself sitting right underneath a leak in the roof, and an annoying drop of water kept hitting her in the head repeatedly.

"Precisely. Catastrophists believe that small acts of chaos are ultimately futile. These Mazoku spend their time trying to come up with a large enough event to send the world back into chaos all at once."

"S-so Abaddon is trying to initiate a global calamity?!"

"All catastrophist Mazoku are, Miss Amelia, but Abaddon is simply going about it in a way that mainstream Mazoku disapprove of-"

"They're using humans." Zelgadis finished his statement for him.

"Well… yes. Actually, that's correct." Xellos gave a nod. "The development of physical life forms in this world was not something that either the Mazoku or Shinzoku had predicted. The Mazoku tried to kill them off many times, in multiple mass extinction events- volcanic cataclysms, asteroid impacts, global ice ages… nothing worked. We couldn't kill them. There was always  _something_  that managed to survive and then thrive once all its competition had been eradicated. Various creatures first developed sentience, then something that bordered upon intelligence, and soon we had creatures in this world that were functioning much like Mazoku and Shinzoku, but were completely neutral beings with no ties to either. Of course, that was only initially- the Shinzoku quickly fell upon the Dragon Race with the assumption that they would eventually be the dominant species, but the Mazoku stayed on the sidelines and watched."

"I see. That makes sense, I suppose." Zelgadis murmured. "What was it that attracted Abaddon to humans?"

"Human souls have an inclination toward chaos that even we Mazoku have yet to understand. Even by five-thousand years ago, when human civilization was just beginning to form, Cepheid knew that the most compatible hosts for sealing away Shabranigdo were human souls." Xellos paused to clear his throat. "Earlier, some Mazoku had begun to wonder why it was that they were unable to destroy the world. Instead of trying to reconcile their own shortcomings, they came to the conclusion that Mazoku simply  _couldn't_ do it. Yes, it  _was_  the job of Mazoku to bring the world back to chaos, but because chaos is inherently neutral, a catastrophe big enough to do so- they were catastrophists, remember- could only be initiated by neutral creatures. Humans, then, were the obvious choice."

"So Abaddon doesn't think Mazoku are capable of destroying the world?" Amelia arched an eyebrow. "Call me crazy, but doesn't that go against everything that the Mazoku believe?"

"Oh, it does." Xellos responded quickly. "That's why most Mazoku have a very poor view of Abaddon. But generally, Abaddon has never gotten in our way, so we've let them be."

"What changed?" Zelgadis asked.

"Things changed about a decade or so ago, when Abaddon gained a very…  _high-profile_  member."

"A high-profile member?" Zelgadis and Amelia spoke up at the same time and looked at one another, surprised by their sudden synchronized outburst. Zelgadis continued warily, "You're not talking about… Hellmaster Phibrizzo?"

"I'm absolutely talking about Hellmaster Phibrizzo."


	17. On the Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

 

**17- On the Run**

Meg stared at Gourry for a moment in surprise. "Y-you didn't know? I thought-"

"H-how did he die?! What happened to him?" Gourry's incredulous murmurs turned into fervent yells as he approached Meg and grabbed her by the shoulders. Her face paled and she fought the urge to yelp in surprise, knowing that they'd all be in trouble if Morrigan discovered them.

"…h-he… was killed by a member of Abaddon…"

"How could that have happened?! Did you see it? Were you there? Was he in a lot of pain? Did he suffer-"

"Gourry, calm down." Lina grabbed hold of his arm, trying to tug him back to give the poor, shocked woman some room. "Can't you see that she's upset too?"

Gourry bit his lip and took a step back to move closer to Lina. "Abaddon killed him… for the Sword of Light. He ran away from home and risked his life to be free of the fighting and greed that followed it, and the sword ended up killing him anyway."

"…Gourry…" Lina's voice fell to a whisper and she grasped his hand tightly, lacing her fingers in between his. She turned her head back toward Meg in order to ask more questions. "You said that Abaddon killed him for the Sword of Light. How did the Sword of Light end up in Xellos' possession?"

"I gave it to him." Meg replied with forced composure. "I couldn't let Abaddon get away with the sword, so I stole it before they could get their hands on it and tried to run away. I had never met Xellos before, but he approached me and told me that he knew Gourry and would return the sword to him… so I trusted him. After that I was determined to get revenge for Arthur's death, but… I didn't know how. I ended up joining the Ruvinigald Bureau of Investigation, hoping that maybe someday I'd make a difference."

"So then Xellos held onto the sword until it was convenient for him to give it to us. I see." Lina murmured more to herself than to anyone else. The pieces were beginning to come together, but the more that they learned, the worse the situation became. Gourry was trembling- Lina could feel it in his hand, and it ignited a protective desire in her that she was unfamiliar with. It was so often  _him_  trying to comfort or protect  _her_ , suddenly he was the one who needed the attention, and a mix of genuine affection and the desire to repay him for his past efforts combined into something that tugged madly at Lina's heart.

"I wish I could help you more, but I don't know what Abaddon is doing with this house. They  _were_  using this area as a laboratory at one time, or so I've heard, but it's obvious that there's nothing here now." Meg's words were tinted with the sense that she was suppressing the urge to cry.

"They knew we were coming." Lina responded. "That's the only thing that makes sense. Members of Abaddon have been keeping an eye on us. I'd be careful if I were you. If they do hold a grudge from the Sword of Light incident, they probably know where to find you."

"I'm sure they do. I'm just worried tha-"

" _Meg? Are you still down there_?"

Meg jumped at the sound of her name being called down the staircase. "Y-yes! I actually just found it- I'm coming up, don't worry!"

"Wait!" Gourry whispered desperately. "You can't go! I still don't know anything about how my brother died-"

"I'm sorry. I-I'll give you more information someday, I promise!"

"But-"

Meg whispered to them as best she could, racing up the stairs. "Be safe, please!"

Lina kept her grip firm on Gourry's arm to keep him from running off after Meg and accidentally blowing their cover. He was suffering and she knew it, but things would only get worse if Morrigan discovered them and had them arrested. Fortunately, Meg's voice soon disappeared, and the air in the cellar thickened with a melancholy calm.

After a few moments, Gourry pulled away from Lina and moved to where she'd pushed the carpet aside to reveal the stain on the floor. Kneeling down, he placed one hand over the stain, as if somehow it would give him the answers that he was looking for.

"…Gourry, I'm so sorry. I never realized…"

"There was so much I was going to tell him. I wanted to apologize. I wanted to introduce him to you and show him that I finally found that happiness I've been looking for. I wanted him to know how much he means to me and how sorry I was for leaving him to take on the responsibility of the Sword of Light alone. He was always so forgiving, I never feared that he wouldn't be for me too, but… I wanted to hear it from him personally. I wanted to be sure."

"You heard what Meg said." Lina approached him and knelt down beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It was obvious that, no matter what happened between you two, he didn't harbor any grudges."

"I wanted to know that he was happy. I wanted to know that he finally reached his dream." Lina couldn't see his face very well, but from the sound of his voice, it was apparent that he was crying. "Even if our lives were separate, I wanted to at least feel like we were a family again."

There was nothing that Lina could say. This was completely out of her realm of knowledge. Death was not an unfamiliar concept to her, but this level of grief was, and despite her familiarity with Gourry and the way he felt and reacted to things, she was at a complete loss for something she could say to comfort him. It was an odd sort of helplessness that reminded her of being injured on a battlefield. People around her were suffering, and as much as she wanted to, there was nothing she could do to help.

Unable to speak, she instead placed her arms around his shoulders, pressing his head to her chest. She could feel his whole body shaking with each sniffle, and it only prompted her to pull him tighter.

They stayed in that position for a few minutes, until Gourry regained his composure.

"…I'm alright. I'll be okay." He pulled himself to his feet, wiping off his face.

"If you want to cry, go ahead and cry." Lina stood up with him, not daring to take her hand off his shoulder.

"I can't. Not here." Gourry was still sniffling a little. "I'll cry later."

" _Why not?_ "

Lina's hand snapped away from Gourry's shoulder, and both of them stiffened. "Who's there?" Lina yelled. "Show yourself!" The familiar sensation of bloodlust from a Mazoku had them both on-edge, but it seemed to be having a worse effect on Gourry.

"A-are you a member of Abaddon?" he stammered, stepping forward and placing one hand on the hilt of his sword.

" _What's it to you if I am?_ " Though the Mazoku didn't show is physical form, its voice grew steadily louder.

"Were you the one who killed Arthur Bedivere four years ago?"

Lina stopped breathing suddenly. Gourry's sob-wracked composure had changed to one of ferocity. His hand was gripping the hilt of his sword, poised ready to strike.

"Gourry, stop." she whispered. "Don't do this. This Mazoku could be here for a totally different reason, and we can't be sure-"

"I need to know." he shot back. "Stay out of this."

" _Arthur Bedivere! That's a name I haven't heard in a while. Quite a nuisance, that man- we had a harder time killing him than previously expected. For some reason, our assassin failed numerous times, but the end result was inevitable. What's it to you who killed him?_ "

"Your assassin?  _You're_  the one who had him killed?"

" _It was an associate of mine, yes. But I'm afraid that's not what I'm here for-"_

"YOU KILLED HIM!" Within a split second of hearing the word "yes," Gourry's sword was drawn and he had lunged toward the source of the voice. Lina shrieked, realizing suddenly what was going on.

"GOURRY, NO-"

The swordsman slashed forward over and over, but couldn't find anything solid. His strokes were erratic and almost desperate. He knew that there was nothing that he could do, but he wanted to do something-  _anything_  to ease the pain. If nothing else, lashing out used up the angry energy that was quickly bottling up in his mind. He couldn't see, he could barely breathe, he just wanted the nightmare to end… and he wanted Abaddon to pay.

Eventually, he became dizzy and lost his footing. His sword made contact with the bookshelf, digging into the wood so much that, when he tried to pull it out, the whole shelf came with it, toppling over towards him. He wasn't aware enough of his surroundings to dodge it, but he was at least able to catch it with his free arm before it hit him in the head. Lina could only hear most of what was going on, and her heart was racing. She knew the Mazoku was hiding on the astral plane, probably laughing at Gourry's foolish efforts and feeding on his desperation. The sound of the bookcase falling and Gourry's pained grunt as he caught it made her realize just what a dangerous situation they were in. With the ward keeping her magic sealed, they were like mice in a trap.

"Gourry, stop it! We've got to get out of here!"

"I'M NOT LEAVING UNTIL THAT MAZOKU GETS WHAT'S COMING TO IT-"

" _I'll admit, I admire your fervor. I was only here for the purpose of making sure that all our equipment had been moved, but I'm fascinated by the turn of events this has taken. Perhaps I will indulge you in a fight after all._ "

"Don't do it, Gourry!" Lina begged, running toward the staircase. Normally her ego wouldn't let her run from a potential opponent, but the lack of both magic and clear sight was too much of a disadvantage. "The Mazoku isn't here for us. Just leave her be-"

"IF YOU'RE GOING TO FIGHT, GET OUT HERE AND DO IT!" It wasn't clear whether Gourry was unable to hear Lina, or simply chose to ignore her. He usually was so obedient when it came to situations like this, Lina was surprised to hear him blatantly defy her orders. But… then again, less than five minutes ago he'd been sobbing into her chest, his heart completely broken. There was no telling what he might end up doing in this state.

Lina had wanted an opportunity to protect him earlier, but now it seemed like she was going to get that chance, and she had no idea what to do.

* * *

Adelaide fell again, crashing into the ground amongst the tall undergrowth. All she could see in her peripheral vision was a seething darkness that looked as though it would swallow her entirely- and the silence brought her to the sudden realization that it had already done so to her companion.

"POKOTA!" she shrieked, pulling herself to her feet again and dashing back towards the darkness. Without thinking, she plunged in, reaching out desperately to find the small stuffed toy. The dark entity appeared solid but felt more like a cold mist. By the time that Adelaide's hands found what they were looking for, her fingers had gone numb and it was all she could do to grasp hold of the plush toy tightly enough to free him.

Adelaide could feel the darkness spreading around her, and without even pausing to make sure that her small companion was okay, she turned and ran in the opposite direction. It was an oddly familiar feeling, squeezing a stuffed toy to her chest seeking comfort, almost like being a child again.

"Are you alright, Pokota?" It was difficult to speak as she ran, but she was too worried not to ask. Unfortunately, there was no answer, and that caused her to pause for a moment to give the little animal a brief shake. "Pokota! Answer me!"

The Mazoku took advantage of her stop to get in another attack. Adelaide wasn't quick enough to truly dodge, and found herself instead falling out of the way, toppling over and rolling a short distance down a hill. The small raindrops that she'd barely noticed just moments before suddenly became larger and pounded down harder. It was a cold rain, but Adelaide was grateful for something to wash the mud from her clothing and shoes. She pulled herself to her feet and noticed that there was a slightly beaten path through the grass. Despite being unsure of where it went, she decided to take it. That Mazoku didn't need a path to get through the undergrowth, but she  _did_ , and every advantage she could take, the better.

"Don't worry, Pokota… you'll be okay… I'm sure of it…"

Adelaide pressed on until she was sure that her lungs were about to give out. It had been agonizing- she was covered in scrapes and bruises, soaked through from the rain and still muddy from her falls. Despite her attempts to shield him, Pokota's plush body was absorbing the rain and growing heavier and heavier, and eventually she had to stop. She collapsed to her knees in the middle of the path.

"…I… I know I'm not usually a praying sort of person, but… Cepheid, if you're listening,  _please help us_ …" Her body was wracked back and forth with sharp intakes of breath as she fought the dizziness that was beginning to intensify in her head. Rainwater was running down her bangs into her face, and the muscles in her legs were screaming in agony.

_Why_ had she run? She was  _so stupid_ \- that's what the Mazoku wanted. Despite the adrenaline boost, her body was still unaccustomed to long-distance running, and the effort had rendered her utterly useless in battle. Now it was only a matter of time until-

"Are you okay over there?"

A voice cut through the sound of the pounding rain, causing Adelaide to stiffen and sit up in surprise. The owner of the voice was only a short distance down the pathway, but he covered the distance fairly quickly, and was soon standing over her and offering a hand to help her to her feet.

"…I'm fine…" she stammered, nodding in acknowledgement, but waving off his hand. "S-sorry, I need to sit for a minute."

"Where are you running to in such a hurry?" The old man retracted his hand, seeing that she didn't want to take it. Something about his face seemed vaguely familiar to Adelaide, but if he recognized her from anywhere, he didn't show it. "You're not lost, are you?"

"I'm not lost." She shook her head.

"Well, thank goodness one of us isn't!" The man laughed in reply. "I noticed you running from up on that ledge over there, and by the time I reached you, you'd collapsed. Are you in a hurry to get somewhere?"

"N-no, I was…" Adelaide stopped herself. She couldn't tell this random man that she'd been pursued by a Mazoku that seemed to want her dead. He probably wouldn't believe her even if she tried. "…trying to get out of the rain. It started pouring so suddenly, I wasn't prepared."

"The rain did start up fairly quickly." the man remarked, glancing up at the clouds. "I suppose you could take shelter under some of these trees. I don't care myself, I'm already wet, but if you're eager to get out of the rain, that's probably your best option."

"I will." Adelaide stood up herself, wringing out her skirt. It had soaked up the water and mud that had puddled on the trail and stained the green fabric a dingy brown color. It would have to be washed- what a pain. But… there at least had been no sign of the Mazoku for the past few minutes. As she started to walk, still unsteady from the earlier run, the man held out his walking stick for her to use. It was an odd-looking piece of wood, bent and carved around a large, shiny sphere at the top. Adelaide had never seen anything like it, and while it did look like it  _could_ be a hiker's walking stick, it gave off a strange magical aura that sent a shiver through her body, as though it were a living entity. She handed it back to the man as soon as possible, not wanting to be in contact with it any longer.

Adelaide found a dry spot beneath the large conifer, waving to the old man in appreciation. "Thanks for your concern. I'll be fine, I promise."

"It seems like you have everything under control, so I won't hover over you. As long as you're safe, that's the important thing." The old man waved back in reply. "Good luck getting back to your cabin. If the rain lets up at all, you should probably start back that way. The way the clouds look, this rain is going to be here for a long time."

It was a relief to see the man go. Not that he seemed threatening or anything, but Adelaide hated the idea of dragging an innocent bystander into her troubles, and on top of that, something about his appearance didn't sit well with her. What was he doing, hiking out here all by himself? How did his path just so happen to cross with hers when she needed support?

"Maybe Cepheid was looking out for us after all, Pokota."


	18. Tempting Fate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

 

**18- Tempting Fate**

"Maybe Cepheid was looking out for us after all, Pokota." Adelaide murmured, remembering her earlier prayer. She didn't expect to hear a response, so her heart nearly skipped a beat when he returned the suggestion with a muddled reply.

"…who was doing what…?"

"Pokota!" Her first instinct was to hug him again. It was as though she were wringing out a wet towel, but she didn't mind. She was completely soaked anyway, so a little more water wouldn't hurt. "I'm so sorry! That Mazoku must have created a disconnect between your soul and this body- I was afraid you'd never wake up!"

"Y-yeah, that's… totally what happened." Pokota didn't want to admit that he'd fainted out of fear. He'd been in worse fixes before, sure, but he'd never had all his senses completely shut off. "What happened? Did you get a clear shot at the Mazoku?"

"I… ran. I'm not used to fighting like this."

"Didn't you train with the Order of the Holy Sword?"

"I did, but we never fought  _Mazoku_! Only other members, and in a controlled environment with set rules and a standard time limit." Adelaide pouted. "How am I supposed to react when I'm stuck in the middle of the wilderness with a monster that wants to kill me?"

She did have a point. Pokota remembered how poorly his own training had prepared him for real combat situations. There was a completely different feeling to being in a life-or-death situation that no training session could ever emulate. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. What happened to the Mazoku?"

"I don't know. I guess I outran it, or… maybe it gave up." Adelaide sent a wary glance out at the field in front of them. The rain wasn't letting up, and she feared that it would be a long time before they'd make it back to the cabin. "Of course, there's always the chance that it could be waiting back at the cabin to ambush us or Lina and the others when we return."

"You haven't seen any other people around, have you?"

"Well, there was an old man…"

Pokota jumped onto Adelaide's shoulder to better look around. "An old man?"

"Yes, but… well, that's not important."

"Alright. If you say so."

* * *

"It's not right to say that Abaddon converted Hellmaster Phibrizzo to their beliefs, because he was too powerful a Mazoku ever to be swayed by others' opinions. He came to Abaddon on his own terms after his failure in the Kōma War left him searching for answers." Xellos responded. He dug a pocket watch out of his pocket and checked it casually, but his look of nonchalance abruptly changed and he jumped to his feet. "Ah! But I've wasted far too much time in talking to you two! I have to go before-"

"Go where?" Zelgadis stood up. "You haven't given us any useful information. What about Hellmaster Phibrizzo? Was Abaddon working for him when he tried to use Lina to destroy the world? I thought he didn't have any subordinates. That's why you were-"

"I was a political ploy. If Lord Hellmaster was seen carrying out his plans with no obvious subordinates, other Mazoku lords would be suspicious. They were suspicious already, but by borrowing me from Lord Beastmaster, Lord Hellmaster made it so that the other lords couldn't safely question him." Xellos perched on the edge of the attic door before jumping back down to the lower level. "I don't know when we will see each other again. I'm hopeful that our paths won't cross each other's anytime soon."

"That's the best thing you've said all day." Zelgadis grumbled, watching him leave. "I wonder if he was actually late for something or whether he just wanted to toy with us. I'm not sure how much of that soliloquy we can trust."

"It did seem rather far-fetched. Mister Xellos isn't the type to lie, so I think it was probably true." Amelia was still sitting on her perch that was far from any leaks. "But he is the type to try and distract us with unhelpful and useless information. How much of that speech do we actually  _need_?"

Zelgadis made a general noise of frustration, running his hands through his hair. "I want to go back and examine the sword collection again."

" _Again_? You were so thorough the first time."

"Just trust me. It's… important."

Amelia frowned. She didn't want to accuse Zelgadis of hiding things, lest they start up another argument like the one before, but she got the feeling that there was something else he- and Adelaide- were searching for that he didn't want her to know about. It was probably personal, and she didn't want to pry, but part of her was disappointed that he hadn't told her about it. With the situation they'd had in Seyruun, after her father had knighted him and then later when he finally decided to make his courtship of her official, they'd promised to confide in one another. If something was troubling him, she wanted to know about it so that she could make it better. How far could she push without disrespecting his privacy?

"Alright, fine. We'll go back and examine the sword collection." Amelia pulled herself to her feet with a sigh. "And afterward, we'll go to the cellar to find Miss Lina and Mister Gourry. I don't think there's anything else to see up here."

* * *

Before Lina could call out for him again, she heard a yelp from Gourry's side of the room. It felt as though the whole cellar had gotten darker- no, it  _had_  gotten darker. The curtain over the one small window had been pulled shut again. When had that happened?

Despite the lack of light, Lina could track Gourry's movements through the sound of his boots against the tile floor. He was jumping back and forth all of a sudden, as though he were dodging something that was reaching out for him. Of course the Mazoku made no sound, and Lina couldn't even see it. Through the dim light, she could make out a slight glow off Gourry's brightly-colored hair, but that was it. Lina fought back the urge to create a Lighting spell, knowing that it wouldn't work and would only draw attention to her. Instead, she drew her short sword from its sheath on her hip and prepared for the worst- whatever 'the worst' might be. She hadn't figured it out yet. Breathing heavily, she tried to tap into her magical instincts, sensing the Mazoku's position so that she'd know where to strike. They had no way to actually damage it, with no magic available, but if the Mazoku had created a physical form, they could at least discourage it somewhat. Lina saw Gourry lunge forward, and her heart almost stopped as she realized- the Mazoku had lured him in with an illusion and was about to strike.

" _GOURRY!_ "

Unable to do much again the Mazoku, Lina instead tackled Gourry to keep him out of harm's way. He was able to support her weight without falling over, but he struggled to keep his balance and staggered backwards.

"Lina, what are you doing?!" he hissed. "This is  _my_ fight! Stay out of it!"

"But you-"

"I SAID, STAY OUT OF IT!"

Even the beginning of a scolding from Lina hadn't deterred him. As stern as she was able to make her voice, he hadn't let her get more than two words in edgewise. "Gourry!" She called to him as she chased after the aura of the Mazoku that had moved away from them. As belligerent as Gourry was being, the Mazoku was displaying a clear disinterest in the two humans. Whether it knew that they posed no threat without magic, or whether it simply didn't want to go to the trouble of hurting them wasn't clear. Lina knew that Gourry needed an outlet for his emotions, but picking a fight with a Mazoku that didn't want to be bothered seemed like the worst possible way to deal with the situation. It was bad enough that they had to sometimes deal with Mazoku that wanted them dead- what was the point in fighting a Mazoku that couldn't care less about them?

" _You're being a pest. Leave me alone._ " The voice from before confirmed Lina's assessment of the Mazoku's opinion of them. She opened her mouth to say something- anything- to get Gourry to stop, but she was cut off. She was too late.

It was hard to say which reached her first: the sickening thud of an unconscious body hitting the tile floor, or the sharp, metallic scent of blood in the air. Lina's whole body tensed and her eyes widened. All she could make out in the darkness was a mass of long, blond hair strewn about on the floor.

" _GOURRY!_ "

* * *

"I knew we wouldn't find anything. I told you we wouldn't find anything. The weather is terrible and that house gives me the creeps, and this whole thing is just ONE BIG MESS!"

There was a pause. The rain and wind were making the water slosh against the pilings of the dock, and there was no sign of the boat that was supposed to take the travelers back to the nearby town. It was a good thing too- Inspector Wizer hadn't shown up yet- but Meg and Morrigan were stuck tugging desperately on their coats to keep warm and dry.

"…are you finished ranting yet?" Meg ventured.

" _No!_  While I'm issuing my grievances, I want to know why Inspector Freion insisted on accompanying us here if he was only going to leave us to our own devices and run off to Cepheid knows where doing Cepheid knows what, only to catch a criminal who I'm not so sure is guilty anymore!"

Meg stiffened, remembering Xellos' admonition about keeping Inspector Morrigan in the dark. "What do you mean, you don't know if she's guilty? Didn't you see the eyewitness reports that Xellos gave? The lengthy reports and full-color images-"

"So  _what_? If you ask me, it's possible he manufactured the whole thing! Artists can offer their services for the right price to create any scene you can dream up, and a good writer could've pieced together the story based on information about the house and the activities. It's all a bunch of bull, and we've been suckered into it. I can't believe this- my first big solo case as an inspector, and  _this_  is what I get? I should been put to sleep with the rest of Taforashia!"

"D-don't say that…" Meg reached out for him in concern. "Think of all the good you've done over the years."

"Good? What good? The only good I've ever done, as far as the folks at the bureau are concerned, is learn to make a good cup of coffee. I'll never become a decent inspector, especially not when I get stuck with the worst possible cases at the worst possible times-"

"Would you STOP that?!"

At the sound of Meg's voice, the rain almost seemed to quiet in sync with Morrigan. He stared at her, seeing her outspoken and upset for the first time. She seemed like an entirely different person, and he wasn't sure how to react.

"Y-you're being so selfish! Sure, maybe this is a terrible case to be on. Maybe you're right, and the whole thing is a frame job and we're out here in the wind and rain and cold for NO GOOD REASON. But what will giving up do? What will it show the Bureau of Investigation if you crack under pressure? Do you intend to gain their favor by defaming our primary eyewitness and dismissing an important case?"

Morrigan took a step back. "No. That's not what I meant."

"Then what  _did_  you mean? What is all this talk?"

"I…" The man couldn't form the words necessary to answer. Part of it was simply because he didn't have the strength to argue, but part of it was a genuine acknowledgement that Meg was right and that his own complaints had little practical value. "…I understand. I guess I feel like I just… need a chance to vent. I need to get this out of my system. The bad weather and today's failure are all going to my head, and if I don't get the chance to recover, I'm afraid I'll… I'll…"

"You'll bottle it all in and accidentally explode in front of Inspector Freion." Meg murmured with a nod of her head. "I see."

"Please don't tell him I said all those things! I don't want him to think poorly of me."

"I won't. Don't worry." Meg shook her head a few times to reassure him "I knew a man once who was just like that. He didn't express anger or frustration and kept those emotions closely guarded inside. When something angered him or pushed him past the breaking point, he was fearsome. No one would have minded if he had let out his temper a little at a time, on occasion, but he let it build up and it hurt him. Other emotions he did the same with- fears and regrets. I didn't know how to help him, and I never got to before he died. Maybe I can help you."

Morrigan stared. "…I-I'll be okay, honest. I don't need any help, what I need is…" He stopped short, unsure what to say. "Okay, I do need help. But don't trouble yourself. Like you said, we have more important things to think about."

There was silence again.

"…did you… really mean that?"

"Mean what? That we have more important things to-"

"N-no, no, I mean… about Taforashia. Do you really wish you had been put to sleep with everyone else? Even if they were your family, would you be willing to give up all you'd worked for and done to stay with them?"

Morrigan stared at her, unsure of what to say. The question felt as though it had come out of nowhere. "I, uh, suppose I… I don't know what to say. In some cases, I wish that I could have stayed with them. So many of my childhood friends are still children now. My grandmother and grandfather never got to see me grow up. I missed so many opportunities with the people I cared about. But I don't regret everything I've done. In fact, I'd be sorry if I didn't get to do all these things. I met Inspector Freion, and he encouraged my dream of being a detective. I've learned so much from him- I don't think I could ever give that up. Sure, I love my family, but I also love the life I've lived, and… well, I don't think I would be willing to give up the person I am now." Morrigan smiled and shook his head. "So, no. I didn't really mean that."

Meg tugged on her coat, tightening her grip as the wind changed direction. "It's tough, having to choose between family and the life you've made for yourself. In the end, it's difficult to give up either. I was adopted, and my adoptive family was… less than ideal. But they gave me a chance to live when no one else did, and so I love them all the same. I'd do anything for them- at least, that's what I tell myself. In the end, there's no 'right' decision to make. We humans are so concerned with morality- right and wrong- that sometimes we forget that some things aren't either. Some things just  _are_."

Morrigan could only nod.


	19. Losing Ground

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

 

**19- Losing Ground**

"I think these are the stairs to the cellar." Amelia tapped on the door, leaning down to get a glimpse of the room as best she could. Unfortunately, it was too dark to see anything, and she was left not knowing what awaited them. She hesitantly ventured downward, keeping a tight grip on the railing. "Careful. These steps are really narrow."

"I noticed." Zelgadis responded, calling up a  _lighting_  spell. It only lasted until halfway down the stairs, however, and then immediately flickered out. Amelia yelped.

"Why'd you do that?! Turn it back on!"

"I can't. We walked into a barrier."

" _What_?" Amelia turned around to speak to him, but he didn't realize that she'd stopped and blundered into her. Her grip on the railing helped to keep her from falling, but it was still a surprise. "B-be careful!"

"Well, don't stop in the middle of the staircase next time."

"I was surprised that the light went out. Don't blame me."

"It's not my fault that the barrier was placed where it was."

"Right, but now we can't see."

"And I told you, that's not my fa-" Zelgadis stopped mid-sentence as his sensitive ears picked up a sound that he vaguely recognized. It was faint, but growing louder as they moved closer. As any human would be, he was put on high-alert by the sound of someone crying. But… it was a different kind of alertness when it was a voice that he recognized.

"Something wrong, Zelgadis?" Amelia started to ask as she processed his broken speech, but she didn't get very far. He pushed her out of the way, rushing down the stairs as fast as he could safely do without falling or injuring himself.

" _Lina_!" he called out. "Lina, are you okay? What happened?"

"M-Miss Lina?" Amelia ran after him, finally finding a solid, tiled floor under her feet. Zelgadis and Lina had already begun a conversation, but Lina's part was more understandable sobs than it was actual speech.

"I-I don't want to move him. I'm scared I'll hurt him even more-"

"Have you managed to stop the bleeding?"

"I think so-"

"And it's only his arm, right?"

"I  _think_ \- I don't know."

"We can go upstairs and get a lantern to-"

"I don't want to leave him-"

"You  _won't_. Amelia and I can do that."

Before Amelia could ask, Zelgadis had grabbed hold of her hand and begun dragging her back up the stairs. "Wh-what happened? Is Mister Gourry okay?"

"I don't know. Let's get a lantern and make sure there's no damage that would make it dangerous to move him, and then we can take him somewhere that healing spells can be used."

"So he'll be okay?"

" _I don't know._ "

* * *

Pokota and Adelaide had no way of telling how long they'd been gone. The rain had let up a little bit, but the clouds were still obscuring the sky, and so it wasn't obvious what time it was. It was still light out, so the sun hadn't set, but that was the only temporal clue they had.

The sight of more familiar terrain lifted their spirits- and made them a little more wary, lest the Mazoku from earlier be lying in wait for them. However, when they got back to the cabin, it wasn't a Mazoku waiting for them, but Zelgadis.

At first it looked like he was just standing on the porch watching the rain, but as soon as he saw the two of them, he waved and actually ran out into the rain to greet them.

" _There_  you two are! Where have you been? We've been worried!"

"Y-you were worried about me?" Adelaide murmured in awe. She was still getting used to the idea of Zelgadis as her family and all that entailed. Unfortunately, that wasn't what he meant.

"Of course we were worried- worried that you'd tricked us and were going to the chateau to make off with whatever it is you're searching for." Zelgadis scoffed. "What were you thinking, leaving the cabin like that? If you're trying to keep us convinced of your good intentions, you're not doing a very good job-"

"HEY!" Pokota jumped from Adelaide's shoulder onto her head so that he was taller than Zelgadis and had a good perch for a comeback. "If you  _must_  know, we were attacked by a Mazoku! We barely escaped with our lives- it wanted to  _kill_ us."

"…ah." Zelgadis' anger softened. "I see."

"You believe him, right?" Adelaide ventured. "I know you're still not sure about me, but you trust Pokota. We really  _were_  attacked-"

"I believe you." Zelgadis cut her off. "The Mazoku that attacked you was probably affiliated with the one that attacked Lina and Gourry."

"Lina and Gourry were attacked?" Adelaide stiffened and moved toward the cabin porch. Zelgadis reached out and cut her off, however.

"Don't go in there. You're soaking wet and covered in mud."

"Are Lina and Gourry okay?" Adelaide stopped moving but didn't stop asking questions.

"Lina's fine. Gourry got hurt."

" _Hurt_? You mean, like, fell-and-scraped-his-knee hurt, or…  _hurt_?"

Zelgadis didn't answer. He let his expression say it all.

"What happened? Is he going to be okay?" Pokota demanded. "Amelia is healing him, right?"

"She's doing what she can. Lina and Gourry were attacked within an anti-magic barrier, so by the time we were able to move him somewhere to-"

"The cellar." Adelaide breathed, and Zelgadis jerked his head toward her.

"You  _knew_  about the barrier? Why didn't you say anything?" he demanded. "We might've been able to prevent a conflict like this if we knew."

"I-I didn't remember until you said something! Honestly!" Adelaide tried to assure him. "I never went into the cellar. That was off-limits. I snuck down there one night with my friend just to be rebellious, but it was dark and we couldn't use our magic, so it was no fun."

"No fun' is an understatement." Zelgadis shot back. "If that Mazoku had the intention to kill its prey, Gourry might be dead. Who knows? Maybe he'll die anyway."

"Is it  _that_  bad?" Pokota choked.

"No, it isn't. I didn't mean to say that- he won't die." Zelgadis shook his head. "Almost all the damage is in his left arm- the Mazoku didn't hit anything vital. Amelia is making sure everything is patched up."

Adelaide and Pokota let out a sigh in sync with one another. "Don't scare us like that." she murmured. "If something actually happened to Gourry like that, I don't know what I'd do."

"The biggest problem is that we didn't get to him sooner. With the damage like it is, Amelia is afraid that he won't be able to use that arm again, and if he can't use it then there's no use keeping it. Gourry's a strong guy, but the loss of a limb causes emotional damage just as much as physical, and according to Lina, he was suffering already… I'm worried about his mental state more than anything else."

"What can we do?" Pokota asked. "Isn't there any way we can help?"

Zelgadis motioned them up onto the porch with him, and they followed. "You two stay out here. I'm going inside to see what we have in the way of towels for you to dry off and clean away some of that mud. Once you're clean and mostly dry, you can come inside."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. We're already dealing with enough leaks inside as it is. The last thing we want is more water tracked into the place."

* * *

A spot by the fireplace was a welcome relief for Adelaide and Pokota, and the two leaned over the flames as safely as they could. They were a little afraid of blocking the warmth from the others, but everyone else seemed to be content- or distracted- and there were no objections to the pair's position. Gourry was still unconscious, and had been placed on the bed in the next room to recover. Just as Zelgadis had said, his health was fine and he had suffered no injuries to any vital organs… but he hadn't come through unscathed.

Lina sat on the edge of the couch, her arms crossed over her knees and her face buried in them. She wasn't crying as far as anyone could tell, but she certainly wasn't happy either. Amelia sat on the other side of the couch, staring at Lina wistfully and wringing her hands. Zelgadis was across the room standing next to the window, looking out through the makeshift curtain at the rain.

"Pokota, Adelaide," Zelgadis spoke up without looking at them. "can you tell us what happened to you two?"

"W-well…" Adelaide stammered, pulled out of a daze. "I was feeling restless, so I went out to the well to get some water, and I was attacked from behind by a creature that I couldn't see. I assumed it was a Mazoku, so I started fighting back, but Pokota pointed out that it could be dangerous to fight so close to the house when I was using destructive spells, so I started running. We managed to lure the Mazoku out a short distance, but then we were ambushed and Pokota was hurt, and so I… decided to run instead of fighting back. Thankfully I was able to leave the Mazoku behind, but it took us a long distance away from the cabin."

"I see. And the Mazoku never spoke?"

"It did a couple times." Pokota replied. "It… made fun of us for bickering with one another while we were trying to fight it."

"Don't worry. Amelia and I had a Mazoku accuse us of having a 'lovers' quarrel." Zelgadis replied, leaning on the windowsill. "They thrive on that negativity."

"How do you fight that?" Adelaide asked in curiosity.

"You apologize and make up before the Mazoku can benefit from your suffering."

"We tried that… it didn't work."

"It doesn't always." Zelgadis shrugged. "As for Amelia and me, we didn't have a very successful day."

"We were approached and manipulated by Mister Xellos. He was trying to waste our time, I'm sure of it." Amelia muttered. "If we hadn't been stuck in the attic being fed useless information, we could've returned to the cellar in enough time to have saved Mister Gourry."

"But the Mazoku that attacked them was probably affiliated with Abaddon, not Xellos." Zelgadis pointed out. "Lina even said that it didn't want to fight and tried to resist Gourry's provocation. It's true that Xellos gave us a lot of useless information, but I don't think he was trying to hurt Gourry. What do you think, Lina?"

The sorceress was silent. She didn't move, keeping her head perched on her hands the way she'd been for some time now. Amelia cautiously moved over in order to nudge her shoulder. "Miss Lina…? Are you awake?"

" _Yes_." The reply was muffled, but still audible.

"So what do you think? I doubt that Xellos had anything to do with the Mazoku that attacked Gourry."

" _I should've done something_." Lina didn't answer the question directly, but she did lift her head a little, which was an improvement by everyone's standards. "I should've done a better job of calming him down. He was so upset, I should've known he would get himself in this kind of trouble, and now  _look what's happened."_

"I did everything I could, Miss Lina." Amelia assured her. "I'm so sorry-"

"It's not your fault." Lina shook her head. "That Mazoku wasn't even there to attack us. This whole situation is because of Gourry and me… and  _Gourry's_  the one who's going to suffer for it."

"H-hey, at least he's not dead." Pokota offered. "That's good, right?"

"For someone with really low standards, maybe." Zelgadis muttered.

"I know, but… it means he can recover from this." Pokota quickly clarified. "If there's one thing I know about Gourry, it's that he's a person who never gives up. No matter what obstacles he faces, he'll only come out stronger because of it."

"I fail to see how losing a limb makes you stronger."

"I-I mean, not physically, but…"

"This is so stupid." Lina muttered, burying her face deeper into her arms. "We've fought Mazoku lords and Demon Kings before and come through relatively unscathed. Now we encounter probably the only Mazoku that doesn't want to hurt us, and  _this_  is what happens."

"Miss Lina, it's not your fault. The barrier cut off your magic- there wasn't anything you could do."

"I could've talked him out of it. I could've calmed him down. This whole thing was Gourry's own doing, through his provocation. I've been able to get through to him before. That's all it would've taken for this whole thing to be avoided-"

Lina's sentence was cut off before she could finish. She hadn't noticed Zelgadis crossing the room to approach her, so it was a surprise when she felt a stone hand gently tap her on the head.

"Stop whining."

"Wh-" Lina held her hands over her head protectively. "-what are you talking about?"

"Exactly what I said. Stop whining. We know you're upset. We know how you feel about Gourry. But what you're doing right now isn't going to change anything. We have to move forward from this."

"He's right, Miss Lina!" Amelia gave her most encouraging smile. "Mister Gourry is going to recover, and everything will be just fine! I've seen him in battle before expertly wielding a sword in each hand- he's not going to lose his ability to fight from something petty like this."

"That's right!" Pokota agreed. "It'll take far more than this to bring Gourry down! He'll be just fine-"

"And I'm going to stop you two right there as well."

Amelia and Pokota had thought they were supporting Zelgadis' claim, so it came as a surprise to them when he shot them down. "What do you mean?" Amelia ventured.

"It's fine for you to encourage Lina like this. We all probably need a little confidence boost. But if Gourry's reaction is not positive, do  _not_  invalidate his feelings. Do you realize what a big deal this is? I've worked with amputation patients before, back when I was traveling with Rezo. As well as someone might recover, they'll never be exactly the same as they were. Waking up in body that feels different from your own is a terrifying experience- trust me, I know. Couple that with having just found out that his brother is dead… Gourry may be fine physically, but we're going to have to keep a close watch on him."

There was an awkward silence. Lina had lifted her head to better hear the conversation, but she buried her face in her arms again once he finished. The gesture dampened everyone else's feelings as well, and they couldn't help but avert their gazes away from the sorceress.

Zelgadis sighed, seeing that the gravity of his message had come across well, and turned his back on the group. "I'm going for a walk, then."

"But it's still raining-" Adelaide protested.

"You come with me."

"What? I just said that it's raining." Adelaide stubbornly refused to move from her warm spot by the fire, but within a few moments she was caught by surprise and flinched. Zelgadis had tossed his cloak over her shoulders and it had momentarily obscured her vision before she was able to pull it away from her face. "H-hey! That's not what I meant!"

"I need to talk to you."

Adelaide pouted, but saw the seriousness in Zelgadis' expression and gave in with a sigh. She pulled herself to her feet and followed him into the next room and out the doorway onto the porch. It was dark outside, and the sound of rain on the roof mingled with that of insects buzzing and chirping. Adelaide swatted at a few mosquitoes as she spoke. "They're being really accommodating, letting us go chat by ourselves all the time. What do you want to know now? I told you everything already- or is this to apologize for being suspicious of me this afternoon?"

"I  _do_  apologize for that, but that's not what I wanted to ask you." Zelgadis shook his head. "I want your permission."

"Permission for what?"

"To tell Amelia everything. I was going to explain everything tonight and ask for her help in making a decision, but after everything that's happened today, that decision has been made for me."

"What decision?"

" _The cure!_ " Zelgadis hissed. "I'm  _not_ going to do it. If it involves me having to give up my memories and my friendships, there's no way it's worth it."

Adelaide blinked a few times as she began to take in what he'd said. "H-how… did you make a decision that fast? Yesterday you were really torn about it-"

"Right, but you think that, after I almost lost Gourry, I'd be so willing to give up my friendship with him? Seeing your best friend lying unconscious in a pool of his own blood really reminds you of what's important in life."

"…ah."

The severity of what Zelgadis was saying hit Adelaide pretty hard, and she took a small step backwards, catching herself against the railing of the porch.

"I don't want Amelia to think that I purposefully made such a big decision without her input, but at the same time, I'm sure that she'll understand why things turned out the way they did. But- whether you're a good person or not- I'd never out someone as a chimera without their consent. My own experiences would never let me do that. I want your permission before I tell her the whole story."

Adelaide stared at him. " _Out_ me as a chimera? What kind of a phrase is that?"

"I'm sorry, I don't understand-"

"You're saying it's that simple?"

"I didn't think-"

"I'm very open about who I am and how I identify. I don't identify as a Brau Demon- I identify as myself  _despite_  my demon components. I would never introduce myself to someone with that- _hey, it's nice to meet you, I'm Adelaide, I'm eighteen years old, I enjoy swordsmanship and playing the cello, I'm a Sagittarius, and, um, oh! My body has been mixed with that of a_  demon.  _No!_ "

"I know what you're getting at. I understand. My choice of words was improper." Zelgadis waved his hands back and forth. "Can I tell Amelia or not?"

"I'll tell her. I'll tell everyone."

"You-"

Zelgadis didn't have time to say anything further before Adelaide removed his cloak from around her shoulders and tossed it back to him. She marched back inside the cabin, not bothering to even wave for Zelgadis to follow her. " _Hey!_ " he called out, but she took no notice.

* * *

In the short time it had taken for Zelgadis and Adelaide to have their chat, Amelia and Pokota had started up a game of cards, figuring that, with Gourry's injuries the way they were, no one was going to be going anywhere anytime soon. They were both very shaken by the whole affair, and Amelia had suggested it as a way to unwind from the stressful day. The two were already engrossed in what they were doing, so they barely noticed Adelaide walking in.

"Where's Lina?"

"Miss Lina decided to stay by Mister Gourry's side until he wakes up." Amelia answered, not taking her eyes off her hand of cards. "She's with him in the next room."

"I need to talk to everyone. It's important."

Adelaide's statement was enough to make Amelia and Pokota lower their cards to look at her. "If it's really important, we can always call Lina back in." Pokota offered.

"I don't know if she'd be very happy about that." Amelia broke in. "Miss Lina doesn't express it very much, but she does worry about her friends. It's hard for her to feel helpless when someone she loves is in pain."

Adelaide's determination melted slightly as she realized what Amelia was saying. "She… really loves him, doesn't she? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make this about me all of a sudden. I should probably-"

"Adelaide! Don't run off like that!" Zelgadis was already scolding her when he burst into the room. "What do you think you're doing?"

The girl's eyes lit up as she saw him. "Oh, that's right!" She ran around and pushed him from behind toward the table where Amelia and Pokota were still sitting. "Speaking of love, I decided that you should be the one to talk to Amelia. She needs to hear this from you."

"What? I thought you were determined to-"

"I'll talk to Pokota about it… and Lina and Gourry eventually. But when you're in a committed relationship, conversation is important, and this is as much your problem as it is mine, so-"

" _What_  are you all talking about?" Amelia stood up, slapping one hand down on the table to get their attention. "Zelgadis, is there something I should know about?"

"Y-yes, there is, and I was going to talk to you about it but things happened and I needed to ask Adelaide permission for something because this is really personal stuff." Zelgadis found himself nervous. He shouldn't be, but the scolding tone in Amelia's voice was hard to ignore.

"Is it about your and Adelaide's family ties?" Pokota asked. "I found that really confusing myself, but-"

"It's not about our blood relation, no." Zelgadis shook his head. "But we have more in common than you'd think."

"Don't worry, I get it." Amelia huffed, crossing her arms. "You're both chimeras and this whole thing is a ploy to get to some magical cure."

There was a pause. Adelaide and Zelgadis exchanged a glance, though neither wanted to speak first. In the end, it was Adelaide who managed to get a word out. "H-how did you-"

"How did I  _know_? Do you really think I'm that  _stupid_?"


	20. Walking Wounded

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

 

**20- Walking Wounded**

Lina had closed the door to the room as best she could to keep noise out. She didn't have anything against her friends, but she didn't want the noise of their conversations to disturb Gourry… or her. There was no good in sulking and she knew it, but she couldn't help it. She sat on the edge of the bed, distracting herself by smoothing out the blankets around the lumps in the old mattress. The roof was leaking in some places, and rainwater had puddled at the foot of the left side of the bed, but Lina didn't have the energy to fix it at the moment.

While it was not fun to see Gourry's face so flushed and feverish-looking, it was an improvement on the deathly pale pallor that he'd had before. The Mazoku hadn't hit anything vital- probably on purpose, wanting only to distract them and not to provoke a true fight- but Gourry had lost so much blood, Lina had been scared that he might not make it anyway. Unfortunately, it wasn't clear if Gourry would share the relief in his survival that Lina did. It would be all too easy for someone in his position to focus on the negative things- and there were a  _lot_  of them.

Lina's patience was eventually rewarded as Gourry began to stir, groggily opening his eyes. Lina leaned over, making certain that he could see her, hoping that her hovering presence would be a comfort rather than a stressor. It seemed to work- there was a tension in his muscles for a moment as he seemed to identify his surroundings, but it quickly subsided when he saw her.

"…Lina… what happened?" He struggled as though trying to pull himself into a sitting position, but Lina quickly stretched out her arms and held him down.

"Don't try to move. You're okay. Just rest."

"…everything hurts…"

"I know. I bet it does. Stay still and don't aggravate anything." Lina reached out and gently brushed his hair away from his face. "You're gonna be okay, though. Rest another minute or so before trying to sit up. I have a glass of water for you- Amelia said you'd be dehydrated, so you should drink it all."

"…yeah…" Gourry was still acting dazed, but his eyes were more focused now than they had been when he'd first woken up.

Lina got up from the bed and walked to the other side of the room to retrieve the glass from the table. As she did, Gourry began to pull himself up to a seated position, but fell over and yelped in surprise. Lina immediately turned around, startled by the outburst.

"I said  _rest_ for a minute before trying to sit up! What happened?"

"…I don't know…" Gourry murmured in confusion. He was genuinely surprised, but Lina wasn't. Amelia had told her that something like this might happen- Gourry had tried to prop himself up with his left arm, not realizing that there was nothing there to support him. He'd fallen over on his left side, trying to make sense of the situation. The cause of his difficulty hadn't yet occurred to him.

"Here, let me help." Lina sat down on the edge of the bed again and used her free hand to steady him as he sat up. She reached behind him and tugged the pillow upright to give him some extra support. "Is that better?"

Gourry didn't answer. He was mesmerized at the moment by his own arm- or, lack thereof. "...how'd you do that…?"

"How'd I… what?" Lina blinked.

"…that's not funny. Change it back." He waved his right hand back and forth where his left arm was supposed to be, as though checking to see if it was still there and simply invisible. "What kinda magic trick is this?"

Lina wanted to speak, but her words got choked up in her throat and all she could do was give him a meaningful stare.

"I-If you're trying to punish me for picking a fight with the Mazoku, I get it. I'm sorry. It was my mistake and I won't do it again. So will you please cut the jokes already?"

"…I'm sorry, Gourry…"

Genuine fear began to show through his voice as he spoke. "Lina,  _please_. Yes, I was stupid, but I was hurt and frustrated and angry and sad and… and… give me a break, will you?"

Lina kept her calm expression and held out the glass of water towards him. "Here. Drink this."

"I don't want it."

"Gourry, you  _need_  to-"

"I DON'T WANT IT."

"I don't care if you want it or not. Your body has been through a lot, and you need to-"

"LEAVE ME ALONE." He turned his head away angrily. "JUST GO AWAY."

" _Gourry-_ "

"I SAID GO AWAY!"

Lina paused briefly before reaching out and grabbing his hand so that she could place the glass in it. He scowled at her and she scowled back with equal fervor, turning her back to him and exiting the room, closing the door behind her. Once she was sure that the door was fully closed, she slid to the ground, burying her face in her hands.

"…that went well…"

* * *

"Do you really think I'm that  _stupid_?"

There was an awkward pause as Amelia's words hit both Zelgadis and Adelaide. The two glanced at one another. "I mean…" Zelgadis began, unsuccessfully trying to express his thoughts. "…it's not like that… we just thought… uh…"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell." Amelia sighed, massaging her temples in an attempt to calm herself down. "I'm not mad. Just a little frustrated. I figured that you were looking for some sort of magical item when we were going through the sword collection today, but you wouldn't say so to give me a clue as to what we were looking for, so there was nothing I could do to help. I don't like feeling useless either, y'know. You should've been honest to begin with."

"He was just protecting me." Adelaide broke in. "He didn't want to… to  _out_ me without my permission." She glanced at Zelgadis meaningfully as she repeated his words.

"What I said applies to you too." Amelia scolded. "You should've been honest from the start. Do you really think  _we'd_  judge you for being a chimera? You promised us that you'd be honest with us, because it was important for your own safety, and then not only did you lie to us, but you lied and told us that you'd given us the whole truth. How do you think we feel about that?"

Adelaide hung her head in shame. "…I understand. I really am as bad as the Ruvinigald Kingdom thinks I am…"

"Don't go that far." Pokota interrupted her, hopping over to her shoulder. "There's a big difference between dishonest and murderous. Yes, we're unhappy that you lied to us, but there's no way that you're guilty of the crimes they say you are."

"We trust that you're a good person." Amelia agreed, nodding her head. "That's why we want to help you prove your innocence. Mister Xellos gave us a lot of useless information today, but if all of it is true, then there's one bit that's  _very_ useful- you're being sacrificed as bait to lure out the true criminal- and as a hero of Justice, I won't stand for that. You  _have_  to be honest with us so that we can defend you properly. And… it wouldn't hurt to establish trust for friendship purposes. I think all of us can say that we genuinely  _like_ you, Miss Adelaide. Okay?"

Adelaide didn't say anything at first. She kept her eyes focused on her feet, swaying back and forth uneasily. "…you guys… I really appreciate that. Can we talk together- all four of us?"

By the time Lina was chased back into the main room of the cabin, the group had already gone through the whole story. Amelia, though disappointed that Zelgadis' hadn't come to her, understood that it was a very personal matter, and also that the day's events naturally had a great impact on him. The last thing she wanted to do was criticize his actions when he'd made such an important decision. Eventually, Adelaide excused herself from the room, complaining of a headache, and Pokota had followed her, not wanting her to be outside alone after what had happened earlier.

"...that went well…" Lina slid down the door and buried her face in her hands.

"From the sound of it, about as well as I'd imagined it would." Zelgadis commented. He and Amelia had exchanged a few words of concern when they heard Gourry raise his voice, but they both agreed not to interrupt. "I had a feeling he wouldn't take it very well."

"He didn't have to yell at  _me_ , though." Lina groaned. "He must blame me- I know that  _I_ blame me."

"Miss Lina, you know it wasn't your fault."

"I don't think Gourry blames you so much as he needed to be alone with his own thoughts. Remember when he found out that his brother was alive? It was a huge change. He needed time away from everyone to cope. He may be mad, but he's not mad at  _you_."

"You think?"

"Cheer up, Miss Lina. Everything will be alright." Amelia stood up from her chair and approached Lina, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet.

"Thank you." Lina gave a nod as she accepted Amelia's help. "Where'd Adelaide and Pokota go?"

"They went out to the porch. Adelaide said she had a headache and Pokota didn't want to leave her alone after what happened today. We're all a little stressed out right now."

"A  _little_?" It was the first time since that afternoon that Lina had been able to laugh, though it was forced and insincere. "If the Mazoku don't kill us, the stress of the situation might."

"It might be a good idea for us to get some sleep." Amelia suggested, standing up and moving toward the shelf where they had put away most of the blankets that morning. "It's late and we're all exhausted."

"I'm going to wait until Gourry falls asleep again so that I can stay with him." Lina replied, tossing a glance toward the closed door. "I want to be there in case his condition gets worse during the night. He seemed pretty out-of-it just now, and refused to even drink water. I don't know what we're going to do if he stops eating and drinking altogether-"

"I think he was just upset. It's a lot to take in all at once." Zelgadis tried his best to reassure her. "His appetite will come back soon enough. He'll need the energy."

Lina nodded quietly to herself. "Hey, uh, Amelia? Could I have an extra blanket anyway? Just in case Gourry wakes up and makes me sleep on the floor."

"Mister Gourry wouldn't do that to you!" Amelia gasped, though she grabbed one of the plush blankets and handed it toward Lina anyway. "He  _will_ improve. Even though it doesn't seem like it now and may take a long time, he  _will_ get better. You're just going to have to be patient with him."

Lina laughed sincerely this time. "That explains the problem. Gourry and I have never been very good with the idea of patience."

The statement elicited a laugh from Zelgadis, which was refreshing in its rarity. "Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev have trouble with patience? Cepheid help me, I might die of shock."

Lina stuck out her bottom lip. "Don't be rude."

Zelgadis just smiled. He'd stood up, but instead of approaching either of the girls, he instead went to the door and knocked slightly before opening it. "…Gourry? You awake?" There was a pause and Lina inched closer to see what was happening. Zelgadis took a step back, letting the door close again. "He's asleep."

"Is he okay?" Lina pushed Zelgadis out of the way to get to the room. Gourry was curled up in the opposite side of the bed than he'd been in before, with the blanket tucked tightly around him. The glass was set on the floor beside the bed- empty, much to Lina's relief. His face still looked feverish, but he was breathing regularly and with ease.

"It figures that he wouldn't be awake for long. He's probably still in a lot of pain." Amelia took a spot beside Zelgadis so that she could see too. "When he wakes up tomorrow, I'll try to work some more healing spells. I wish I could've done more earlier, but there's only so much that  _recovery_  can do at one time."

Lina perched on the side of the bed, absentmindedly stroking his hair as she spoke. "Thank you guys. I don't know what would've happened without you. There's no way I could've dragged him up those stairs by myself, especially when he was hurt like that. The fact that he's okay now is thanks to you."

"What are you saying? Mister Gourry is like family to us! Of course we'd do everything we can to help!" Amelia sat down beside Lina and leaned in closer, though it wasn't clear whether it was as a friend to comfort Lina or just as a healer to get a better look at her patient.

"After all the four of us have been through together, there's no way that we'd let him be killed by some petty low-ranking Mazoku." Zelgadis offered a smile.

The group sat in silence for another few minutes. There wasn't anything that needed to be said, they just enjoyed each other's company. There was a comforting closeness between them that didn't need words; the feeling of being together as family.

Eventually, Amelia wrapped her arms around Lina for a quick hug before standing up and moving back toward the door. "We'll give you some space, then. Let me know immediately if anything changes."

"I will." Lina nodded.

Zelgadis closed the door gently behind himself and Amelia. They returned to sit on the couch wordlessly, forced to sit a short distance away from one another because of a leak in the roof directly onto the middle of the couch. After a short time, Adelaide and Pokota returned, Pokota curling up on the back of the chair in the corner and Adelaide pausing to tend to the fire.

"Is your head feeling better?" Zelgadis asked, supervising the girl as she poked at the kindling. "You were looking a little pale earlier."

"I'm a little better, thanks for asking." Adelaide responded with a nod. "I didn't realize before how cold it gets at night here. It makes me glad that we're not camping."

"That's something we can all agree on." Zelgadis replied. He opened his mouth to say something else, but Amelia cut him off.

"Do any of us… know exactly what our objective is?"

"Our what?" Pokota perked up curiously.

"Our objective. What are we trying to do anyway?" Amelia repeated. "With all that happened today, it feels like we risked and sacrificed a lot for nothing at all to happen. We all wasted time today. But I can't know that for sure until I know what it is we're striving for. Miss Adelaide wants to use the regression magic to restore her body to how it was before she was experimented on, but that's a very personal goal. What about the rest of us?"

There was a pause as the group thought.

"We're protecting Adelaide from being arrested. That's our goal." Pokota offered.

"How?"

"By clearing her name, of course!"

" _How_?"

"B-by… well…"

"I see what you're saying. We can't clear her name." Zelgadis spoke up. "The ones pulling the strings at the bureau of investigation don't  _want_  to arrest her. They just want her to lead them to Abaddon. Abaddon is the one posing a threat to Adelaide in an attempt to cover their tracks."

"Did you notice that Mister Xellos never actually told us why he wants to capture Abaddon?" Amelia pointed out. "We asked him directly and he danced around the subject, giving us roundabout information and no true answers. If Abaddon has been around for millions of years like he said, then why is it that other Mazoku have only now been trying to eliminate them?"

"From what I gathered, Xellos is  _able_  to chase Abaddon now that Phibrizzo's dead. Before the alliance with Hellmaster Phibrizzo, mainstream Mazoku probably dismissed Abaddon as too weak to be a threat. But once a Mazoku Lord joined their side, it was obvious that there was more danger to them than the other Mazoku had originally counted on. Their alliance with Phibrizzo protected them, but now that's gone and Xellos' higher-ups are trying to eliminate them before they corrupt another powerful Mazoku."

" _I'm lost_." Pokota and Adelaide chimed in unison.

Amelia covered her mouth in surprise. "Oops. I forgot they weren't there. They probably don't have any idea what we're talking about."

"Yeah, you guys need to tell us these things!" Adelaide stood up from the fire and approached the couch, sitting down patiently in front of Amelia and Zelgadis. "Explain."

The two shot each other a panicked glance. "Not again." Zelgadis quickly responded. "Xellos wasted too much of our time today with useless information."

"We'll give you a quick summary!" Amelia offered. "We can do that, at least."


	21. Tough Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

 

**21- Tough Love**

It was still dark when Lina found herself awake. Something about her surroundings was tugging at her senses, and she had to sit up and rub her eyes for a moment before she figured out what it was. "…Gourry? You okay?" She'd spoken already by the time that she noticed his absence. It took a moment to process, but he was definitely gone- he'd been gone long enough that his side of the bed had gotten cold. Frightened for his safety, Lina jumped out of bed and crept out into the main room where Amelia and Zelgadis were asleep on the couch. Both of them were completely unconscious, showing no signs of having been disturbed, and there was no sign of Gourry anywhere in the room.

Tiptoeing around the room, careful not to step in any of the puddles caused by the leaking roof, Lina crept out onto the porch. The rain from the night before had turned into a soft mist that hung in the air rather than falling, and it was difficult to see very far in any direction. Because of that, it took Lina a while to find Gourry… but once she did, she wanted to yell. The only thing that kept her from doing so was the knowledge that Zelgadis and Amelia were just inside the house, blissfully unaware of the situation.

"G-Gourry… what are you doing?" Lina stumbled out into the grass toward where Gourry was working. He'd collected his sword and had chosen a nearby tree as a target, repeatedly swinging at it with his right arm- or, perhaps it was better to say that he was  _attempting_  to swing at it. His body hadn't recovered enough to have the strength to swing around a powerful sword like that, and so he ended up swinging his whole body around as he was pulled by the sword back and forth. It was pitiful for Lina to watch.

After a moment with no response, Lina approached him, calling out a little louder. "Gourry! Gourry, stop! Listen to me, will you?"

"What do you want?" He responded, but he didn't stop swinging.

"I know you want to train, but you're not doing it the right way. It's way too early and you're going to end up hurting yourself. Zel said he'd work with you when you're up to it, but you can't do this to yourself. Not now."

"Leave me alone. I know what I'm doing."

" _Gourry!_ " Lina hissed. "Stop this right now!"

"WHY?" Gourry yelled in response, but as he spoke, he swung too hard and toppled over. He collapsed onto the ground into a puddle. Lina gave a little yelp of surprise and ran to his side, grabbing hold of his right arm to help him to his feet again.

" _Because you're going to hurt yourself_ ," she whispered, gently running her hand up and down his back in an attempt to calm him.

"More than I am already? I don't think that's possible."

"Shh. Don't say that." She tugged at his hand and pried the hilt of the sword from his fingers, switching it to her other hand so that she could use the arm next to him to support him as they walked. "C'mon. Back to bed with you. I'll make you breakfast- anything you want, as much as you want. Just name it and I'll find some way to get it to you."

Gourry was unsteady on his feet, even with Lina's support. "I'm not hungry." he responded bluntly.

"Gourry Gabriev? Not hungry? Surely you're joking." Lina leaned her head into his chest playfully.

"I'm  _not_  hungry."

"Gourry, you have to eat something. You need the strength; your body's still healing. Amelia's going to take a look at you later this morning, but in the meantime-"

"I'm  _NOT_  hungry. I  _don't need_  breakfast."

"…Gourry…" Lina's voice was strained. They reached the porch and she helped him up the steps, but once they reached the top, he pulled away.

"I can walk by myself, thanks." he spoke, stumbling forward. Lina ran to catch him and prop him up.

"You can't. You're  _hurt_."

"No kidding." Gourry muttered, turning his head away in refusal to look at Lina.

Zelgadis and Amelia were still asleep, so Lina did her best to tiptoe without blundering into anything. The fire was nothing but embers, and the room was so dark, it was tough to see. Lina managed to guide Gourry back to the bedroom and sit him on the side of the bed. She placed the sword away in the corner of the room and dug through his belongings in order to find a change of clothes. She turned to look at him and noticed him beginning to nod off.

"Hey, don't fall asleep yet. You're all muddy. I need to help you change your clothes."

"…I can do it myself…"

"No, you can't." Lina approached him again, placing the change of clothes on the side of the bed. "Lift up your arms-  _arm_."

Gourry glared. "I can take off my own shirt, Lina. I'm not a child." He tugged at the bottom of his shirt, managing to lift it over his head. His hair got caught, and he had to tug and shake his head around a few times to loosen it. With a smug grin, he handed the muddy shirt to Lina. "There."

"Good work." Lina took the dirty shirt and handed him the clean one. "Now put this on."

Gourry's smug expression faded as he took the shirt and had to put it down to get a better grip on it. He had to twist it multiple times around his torso, and finally managed to pull his head through the neck hole. It took him another moment to get his arm through the right hole and to pull his hair out of it.

It would have been amusing to Lina if it hadn't made her so sad. This was Gourry Gabriev, the world's finest swordsman, reduced to the state of a toddler who couldn't even dress himself without assistance. After the difficulty he had with his shirt, he begrudgingly accepted help with his pants- anything for Lina to allow him to sleep sooner. She could tell that his strength was fading and it would only be a matter of time before he dozed off again. She'd have to get his breakfast to him as soon as possible.

With a comforting smile, Lina helped him back into bed so that she could tuck the blankets around him.

"So… do you have a request for breakfast, or do you want me to surprise you?"

"I don't want anything." Gourry tugged the blanket over his head.

"You need to eat. I'm not going to say that again." Lina insisted. "Tell me what you want or I'll have to get creative."

"I want you to stay here with me." Gourry peeked above the blanket timidly. "Let me sleep a little while longer, and then I'll think about eating."

Lina leaned over him. " _Think_  about it?" she asked pointedly.

" _Please_ , I just wanna sleep. Will you stay with me?"

Lina pressed her lips together pensively. He looked so pitiful, she felt bad about forcing him to eat when he was so adamant against it, she… couldn't do it.

"…okay…" Reluctantly, Lina crawled into the bed, snuggling next to Gourry as safely as she could. "I'll make you breakfast in a few hours."

"… _don't bother_ …"

Gourry's answer made Lina a little nervous, but she had drifted off to sleep before she could think about it too much.

* * *

Amelia started to wake up as soon as the sky began to get light. She tugged herself away from Zelgadis' arms in order to sit up and look around. Adelaide was awake and sitting across the room, tending to the fire.

"Miss Adelaide! Good morning."

"Good morning, Princess." Adelaide gave a respectful nod. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"…as well as we could with that leak over to sofa." Amelia glanced to where she and Zelgadis had thrown at raincoat over their feet. "If we're going to stay at this house another night in this weather, I'll want to do some work on the roof."

"Are we staying?"

"Well, it's not like we've made any plans. Mister Gourry needs a lot more rest, and I'll have to keep an eye on him to make sure that everything is healing correctly." Amelia situated the blankets back around Zelgadis, who was still asleep, and stood up to join Adelaide by the fire. "Where is Mister Pokota?"

"He was asleep in the chair in the back room, so I let him stay there." Adelaide gave a nod in the direction of the back room. Unlike the bedroom that Lina and Gourry were sharing, it didn't have a door attached, so they'd hung up a towel to afford at least a little privacy to whoever was staying in there. Adelaide originally had insisted that Amelia and Zelgadis take the private room, but Zelgadis decided that it would be better if Adelaide wasn't in the main room. It was too risky- if an enemy burst in the front door, they wouldn't want Adelaide to be so easy to discover.

The two were interrupted by a soft voice from across the room. Lina had peeked out of the door to see the girls sitting by the fire and smiled.

"Oh, good! You're awake! Gourry and I didn't bother you when we walked through earlier, did we?"

"You walked through here?" Amelia asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Yeah. He woke up when I was still asleep and wandered outside to try to practice his swordsmanship."

Amelia scrambled to her feet. "He  _what_? It's way too early for that! Is he okay? Did he hurt himself?"

"No. I stopped him before he could." Lina shook her head. "He fell and got all muddy. I had to help him change clothes. He… could barely put his shirt on by himself. It was  _awful_ to see him like that."

"He'll improve. You can't expect him to immediately be able to function the way he used to." Amelia tried her best to offer Lina some solace. "Mister Gourry is a very determined man. He'll be back on his feet in no time, I guarantee it."

"I know, I know." Lina gave a nod of acknowledgement. "But thank you. I guess I just need to have more confidence in him."

"Confidence isn't going to be enough." The voice that interrupted their conversation belonged to Zelgadis. It wasn't clear how long he'd been awake, as he was still lying under the blankets in the same position he'd been sleeping in. "Gourry is going to be in a bad state mentally. He's going to need guidance and support. People who fall into depression typically forget to perform certain essential behaviors, such as eating or bathing… neglecting physical needs and personal hygiene is common, and it only makes the situation worse. If you really want to help him, it'll be best not to coddle him. By all means support him and help him, but also push him if he needs it. Even if he's angry with you, you  _have_  to make him take care of himself. It's the only way he's going to improve."

There was a tense silence broken only by the sound of birds outside the window. A pair of crows were making a racket on the roof, and the group found themselves more willing to pay attention to that than to the situation at hand.

"…n-now, isn't that a little extreme?" Amelia finally spoke up. "Surely Mister Gourry would never fall so far into depression that he'd forget to-"

"He already is." Lina interrupted. "I offered to make him breakfast earlier when I brought him in from outside, but he refused. I  _insisted_ , and he somehow managed to talk me out of it."

"It'll be too easy to take pity on him and let him do what he wants. Don't fall into that trap." Zelgadis scolded. "You may think you're making it easier for him, but that's only short-term. In the long run, it'll make things more difficult."

Lina pressed her lips together and thought it over before speaking again. "He probably needs more than a change of clothes after falling in the mud like that, this morning. It got all over his hair, and… Zel, would you and Pokota be willing to help him? I'm not sure I'd trust him in the bath by himself."

"I'd be happy to help, and I'm sure Pokota would too." Zelgadis responded, tugging at the blankets and moving himself into a seated position.

"Good." Lina gave him a grin. "If there's one thing Lina Inverse won't tolerate, it's the people she loves neglecting their own well-being. If tough love is what Gourry needs to get better, then that's what he's going to get."

* * *

"RISE AND SHINE, SLEEPYHEAD. WAKE UP- IT'S TIME TO GET MOVING!"

Gourry sat up, rubbing his eyes in confusion. "…Lina… what're you… when did you… what are you doing?"

"It's time to wake up." Lina responded with a bright smile, holding up the tray in her hands. "Amelia worked really hard on this nice breakfast! You should dig in before it gets cold."

"I don't want any breakfast." Gourry shook his head, stumbling out of bed. He was heading toward the corner where Lina had placed his sword earlier, but that was exactly what she'd expected him to do. He stopped and turned around a few times in confusion when he found that it wasn't where he thought it would be.

"Uh… where is my…?"

"Your sword? I confiscated it." Lina shot back, nudging him back toward the bed. "You're not allowed to have it back until you eat  _all_  your breakfast."

" _What_? That's not fair." Gourry protested. "Look at me. I  _need_  to be practicing-"

"You need to eat first." Lina shifted the tray into one hand so that she could push Gourry back into bed with the other. She then gently placed the tray onto his lap and stepped away with a flourish. "Once you finish, you can have your sword back."

Gourry stared at it and pouted. "I'm not hungry."

"Then it seems like neither of us is going to get what we want, isn't it? That's a shame."

With a sigh of resignation, Gourry picked up the fork and started on the pancakes. Lina, who had already eaten, sat on the edge of the bed and watched. Gourry seemed to realize after a few bites how hungry he was, and while he never made it quite to his normal, ravenous mealtime behavior, he came close. Eventually he got to the toast, and tried to smear some butter on it, but with only one hand to do so, he began to struggle. Lina noticed his difficulty immediately.

"Hey, do you want me to help-"

" _No._ I'm fine." Gourry shot back before she could finish her sentence. He eventually had to give up, shoving the slice of toast and the lumpy butter pieces all into his mouth at once. Lina opened her mouth, but he sent her a glare as though he were daring her to say something, and she decided against it. There was no point in injuring his pride more than it had been already.

"There. Done." Gourry moved the tray to the side, turning to get out of bed. "Now will you give me my sword back?"

"Not yet." Lina shook her head.

"B-but you said that if I-"

"You're a mess from the mud you fell in earlier. Before I can give you your sword back, you'll have to get clean. Zelgadis and Pokota offered to help you with your bath. Get clean, and then we can talk about giving your sword back."

" _Talk about_?"

"Yes,  _talk about_! C'mon, then!" Lina grasped his hand and pulled him through the doorway into the main room of the cabin. "Zelgadis! Pokota! Your buddy here is ready for your assistance."

"What? I don't need help! I can bathe perfectly well by myself-"

"Yeah, yeah." Lina shook her head and placed her hand on his back, giving him a push toward their friends.

"Of course you can do well by yourself. We're just here for moral support." Pokota jumped over onto Gourry's head, tapping his forehead in an attempt to comfort him.

"Pokota's right. You'll be fine. You just need some company." Zelgadis gave Gourry a friendly tap on the arm. "Plus, you need someone to tell you where all the mud spots are on the back of your hair."

"M-my-" Gourry swiveled around, but then realized that no matter how he tried, he wouldn't be able to see the back of his head. He gave a sigh and followed after Zelgadis. "…yeah, I see. Okay."

Lina smiled as she watched them, returning quickly to the bedroom so that she could pick up the tray. "Zel was right. Gourry just needed a push." She spoke as she handed the tray to Amelia. "Of course, the best way to push him would be to take away what he likes the most."

Adelaide glanced up from her tea. "I thought  _you_ were what he likes most."

"N-no, I… I mean his most prized possession." Lina shook her head. "Take his sword away and he'll do whatever it takes to get it back. It's a secret technique that I've considered a few times before, but wanted to save for when I really needed it. To make sure that he takes care of himself… that's a worthy cause, don't you think?"

"You really know everything about him." Adelaide commented, taking another sip of tea.

"Why do you feel the need to make comments about Gourry's and my relationship? What purpose does that serve you?"

"Just curiosity, I guess." Adelaide replied. "Being around you guys has made me start rethinking my idea of love."

"Rethink?" Amelia blinked curiously.

"W-well, y'know, I've never been very lucky in love. Sure, there were a few girls in boarding school I thought were cute, and toward the end of last year I even had someone close enough to call my girlfriend, but... well, I got so fixated on her, I thought we'd be together forever. A month and a half after graduation, we hadn't spoken to one another since, and I found out that she was engaged to the son of some lord in Kalmaart. I'm sure it was a political marriage for money or prestige or whatever and that there wasn't any love in it, but… it still hurt." Adelaide stiffened, realizing how much she'd just spoken. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to unload a whole bunch of emotional baggage on you guys-"

"Hey, that's what friends are for." Lina smiled and gave Adelaide a wink. "There's no sense in carrying all that weight yourself when there are people willing to help you with it. You have every right to be upset- I'd be pissed too if my girlfriend left me for some foreign lord without even telling me."

"If that woman left you without even telling you, she wasn't the right person for you anyway!" Amelia insisted, placing her hands on her hips. "To abandon a kind, loving person to run off for a political marriage… what a waste. It's possible she was pushed into it, and if so, I feel sorry for her."

"I'm not necessarily against the idea of a political marriage." Adelaide murmured, staring into her tea. "As the daughter of a Marquess, I've always had to be open to the idea. Maybe it would be better that way- to be able to devote my life to someone without worrying about romantic love. Romance, to me, feels more bothersome than it does rewarding. Do you think I'm broken?"

"I think you're perfect." Amelia offered a smile.

"Yeah," Lina added with a slight chuckle, "and if it's political marriages you're interested in, you could always marry Pokota. His people are probably itching to have a princess to look up to."

"Yeah,  _sure_." Adelaide rolled her eyes. "The daughter of the evil Marquess Gioconda, elevated to the status of princess. I'm sure the Taforashian people would be  _thrilled_."

"That's your only objection? You can work around that." Lina gave Adelaide a playful nudge in the arm.

" _Besides that_ ," Adelaide nudged Lina back. "Pokota's my  _friend_. What if there's already someone he loves, or he dreams of falling for someone and marrying for love one day? I can't take his potential happiness away from him."

"We're just joking around." Lina poked Adelaide in the forehead with a grin. "You and the stuffed-animal? That's a laugh!"

Adelaide giggled. "Pokota would be livid if he heard us talking about him like this."

"Aw, what the little guy doesn't know won't hurt him."

Amelia started laughing, and the other two girls turned to look at her. "What is it?" Adelaide asked.

Lina gestured toward Adelaide. "Is the thought of this beautiful creature and that fleabag together really so funny?"

" _Lina_." Adelaide elbowed her with a laugh.

"You know Miss Adelaide and Mister Pokota are both lovely people." Amelia offered. "It's just… so nice to see the two of you chatting and laughing like normal. Everything that happened yesterday really shook us up. It's important to realize the gravity of the situation, but it's also important not to let ourselves get caught up in it. There are more important things to think about."

"Speaking of which- Lina, when are you going to give Gourry back his sword?" Adelaide asked.

"Oh, that?" Lina shrugged. "I'm going to wait until Zel determines that he's well enough to begin practicing again. There's no sense in encouraging him to hurt himself."

"That could be a few days." Amelia finished putting away the plates and glassware and moved across the room to sit on the couch again. "He's not going to be happy with you about that."

"Let him be unhappy." Lina waved one hand dismissively. "My goal is to see him recover safely. If he doesn't like that, it's his problem."


	22. Cut and Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

**22- Cut and Run**

"Meg. Hey, Meg. Wake up. C'mon, wake up- there's something important that I need your help with. Please?"

Meg could hear him; she didn't need him poking her face and tugging at her blankets to wake her up. Unfortunately, Inspector Morrigan had decided to act like a child at a slumber party and play games. Why had she agreed to share an inn room with him again?

"Go back to sleep, inspector. The sun hasn't even risen yet."

"That's exactly why you have to get up! We need to leave before the others wake up and find that we've gone."

"What?" Meg lifted her head from her pillow and stared at him. "What are you talking about? You make it sound like we're going to do something bad. Did Inspector Freion want us to patrol the bay by boat when the fog clears-"

"No, no, this is more important! I swear!" Morrigan waved his hands and sat back, giving Meg some room. "I was thinking really hard about everything earlier, and couldn't sleep, so I went outside for a walk. I met a hiker who was coming in from an excursion through the wildlife preserve, and when she noticed my badge, she mentioned to me that she'd seen some suspicious people while walking in the preserve. She said she comes here to hike every year, and recognizes all the regulars, yet these were people she'd never seen before, and they weren't outfitted with hiking gear. Don't you see? Lady Adelaide is hiding out in the preserve where she thinks we can't find her! We have to go out there and find where she's hiding."

"I-Inspector…" Meg pulled herself to a seated position, rubbing her eyes. "…the wildlife preserve is under the jurisdiction of the Lyzeille government. For us to do work on behalf of the Ruvinigald government there, wouldn't we need to get some sort of permit?"

"Arresting a wanted criminal isn't business. It's a necessity."

"Yes, but a formal search is business. How will we defend ourselves if we get in trouble? Inspector Freion will not be happy with us if we manage to get on the bad side of the Lyzeille government. You should wait and report the tip to the Ruvinigald authorities later today, and they can contact those in charge of the preserve-"

"That could take too much time. Lady Adelaide might find some way to escape." Inspector Morrigan was pacing back and forth now. "We have to do something, and we have to do it in a timely manner-"

"Inspector, that wildlife preserve is  _huge._ There's no way that we can search it all, just the two of us."

"I-I just…" Morrigan stammered. "I want to do something. I hate feeling so useless; so tied up in red tape. Nothing's ever going to get finished if we have to ask for permission every time we want to make a move. Criminals don't have to do that- they do as they please. How is law enforcement supposed to keep up with crime when it's forced to be slower?"

Meg lay back down, turning over to bury her head under the blankets. "Please stop waxing philosophical so early in the morning. I'm not having this discussion with you and I refuse to follow you into the wildlife preserve after a criminal that might not even be there. You're being immature."

Morrigan stood still, his mouth hanging open a little. Nervously, he took a step back to sit on the other bed, clutching at the blankets in frustration. "…I'm sorry, Meg. I didn't mean to force you into something so illogical. I hope you'll forgive me."

"You're forgiven." Meg murmured from underneath her blankets, hoping that he would settle back into his bed and forget about his crazy ideas. It wasn't that she thought it was a  _bad_  idea- no, if she believed Adelaide was guilty, she'd probably be doing the same thing. But she knew that there was so much more to the case than that, and the thought of putting either of themselves in danger was beyond what she would allow. Besides, Maximillian was too precious a friend to her for her to let him-

From Meg's position in her bed, she heard the door to the room open, latch shut, and lock. She jumped to attention, suddenly fearful.

"I-Inspector Morrigan?  _Inspector_? Max?"

Meg pulled herself out of bed and onto her feet in fear. He had left the room, and left behind no information as to where he was going or when he'd be back. He'd taken off on his own without even bothering to say goodbye.

Immediately, Meg sprang into action, rummaging through her belongings to find a clean set of clothing and an extra coat to wear. Would she need her good shoes? No- she needed to wear boots, just in case she had to chase him into the swamp. Would he be that stubborn? Would he really refuse to listen to her or her logic? He was clearly emotional about the case, and it seemed like he was slowly losing the ability to think rationally about things.

"Max, you idiot! If I let you get yourself killed by Abaddon- or by Xellos- I'll never be able to forgive myself!"

Meg barely remembered to grab her keys as she left the room. She made sure to lock it behind her, figuring that she and Morrigan would be back before they were missed. Hoping. Praying.

It had only been, what, five minutes? How far could he have  _possibly_  gotten in that time?

* * *

Adelaide's prediction had been correct. Gourry was livid when Lina revealed that she planned to keep his sword from him for an indefinite amount of time. He declared firmly that he'd search all over the house until he found it, but she told him not to bother- it was stashed away in an astral pocket to which only she had access. That shut him up and left him by himself, pouting in bed. For the whole day, and the day after that, he refused help from anyone with anything. His friends offered to help him dress, to help him with eating utensils, to help coach him with balance issues, and all manner of things, but he wouldn't accept. It was clear that it was pride talking, that he didn't want people to think that his injury had made him unable to function on his own. He managed relatively well with everything, and was starting to improve, but he adamantly refused to grant anyone the ability to help him. He told Lina firmly that it was something he had to do on his own, and he stuck by that. Lina and the others were unhappy, but they acquiesced.

Still, it was unnerving to see him having such difficulties with… everything. After a while, they noticed that he started hiding away in the bedroom. Amelia said that he was probably sleeping, given the situation and the energy it would take him to recover, but when Lina entered the room in preparation for getting some sleep herself, she found him sitting up on the bed and staring out the window. He paid no mind to the sound of her entering, so she called out to him as she began tidying up the blankets. "I didn't expect you to be awake. It's dark, and I was on my way to bed too."

"Lina… y-you know you don't have to sleep here, right? I'm not in danger or anything."

"Where else do you expect me to sleep?" she asked, not bothering to look up from her work. "Zel and Amelia have the couch. All that's left is the floor or a chair or something- and don't you dare say that you'll sleep on the floor, 'cause you know we're not going to allow that." She saw him open his mouth as she was speaking, and cut him off before he could say anything, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

Gourry frowned. "I just… I don't want to inconvenience you."

"That's too bad. I am extremely inconvenienced." Lina smoothed the blankets on her side of the bed and sat down next to Gourry, leaning against his right shoulder. "There's nothing more inconvenient than having a reason to spend all your time with the person you love."

Gourry stared at her, his disgruntled expression softening into one of melancholy. "…Lina…" He wrapped his arm around her and hugged her to his chest tightly. "…I'm so sorry. You and everyone else have been so nice to me this whole time, and I've been nothing but rude and mean."

"Gourry Gabriev, you've never been mean in all the years I've known you. Stubborn, definitely, and maybe a little disagreeable, but never  _mean_." She tried to move backwards to give him some space, but that only caused his hold on her to tighten, so she stopped and stayed still, waiting for him to let go on his own.

"Lina, I just realized… that I never asked if you were okay."

"Huh?"

"I mean… when I woke up the other day, I got upset and just started yelling… it didn't occur to me that I had passed out and left you all alone without your magic in the cellar with that Mazoku. You could've been hurt badly and I wouldn't have ever known… it would've been all my fault for picking a fight-"

"There's no point in blaming yourself now." Lina cut him off. "You can't change what happened. What you  _can_  change is your attitude about it."

"That's easier said than done." Gourry realized that he was still squeezing Lina and probably causing her discomfort, so he let go and gave her some space.

"I know it is." Lina patted his arm in an attempt to comfort him. "I didn't say it was going to be easy. I just said that it'll help you- and everyone around you too."

"I've been kind of a jerk to everyone, haven't I?"

"You've been hurting… stressed… grieving… I'd say your behavior's been pretty normal. Zel and Amelia have worked with both patients suffering traumatic injuries and people dealing with the loss of loved ones, and they agree that your behavior has been part of a natural healing process."

Gourry lay down, heaving a tired sigh. "But why is it that my healing has to hurt others? Isn't there a way I can get better without lashing out at people?"

Lina leaned back against the headboard, glancing up at the ceiling pensively. "You  _could_  accept the help that other people offer to you. It's important to acknowledge that you need help."

"Th-that's not all it was, though." Gourry stammered. "It felt like you were trying to torture me, forcing me to get out of bed when I was still tired, to eat food when I wasn't hungry-"

"Yeah, how dare I make you do things that are necessary for life?"

"W-well… I mean…" he spluttered, realizing what Lina was getting at and unable to form a proper response. "I know you mean well, I just- I guess I'm being selfish."

"You are being selfish, and that's okay. Sometimes you're the one who knows best how to take care of yourself." Lina replied. "But when you can't think rationally and when your mind is suffering from trauma, it can be hard to remember to take care of yourself. You may think it helps to sleep all day and to forego eating and other things you don't 'feel like' at the moment, but you can't let yourself fall into that trap. It'll only make you worse."

Gourry hung his head sheepishly. "I know, I know. I've been through all this before- when I ran away from home after I thought Kent died, I was miserable. I never wanted to eat, and finally one day I passed out on the road. I'm lucky I didn't get robbed or worse- some nice people found me instead and took care of me. That's when I realized that, if I was going to live on my own, I had to take care of myself. But in all that's happened the past few days, I completely forgot about that. It's sometimes hard to remember things that happened to me before I met you, Lina. I try not to think about the bad times, so I end up forgetting them easily."

"That's certainly not out of the ordinary." Lina shrugged. "I feel the same way a lot of the time- how did I ever function on my own before I met you? I mean, I know  _how_ , but it doesn't feel the same."

"It feels like we've been together forever."

"It hasn't been  _that_  long, though. We have our whole lives in front of us. Imagine how it'll feel years from now- forever and an eternity?" She gave him a playful tap on the side of his arm, offering a smile. "That's why I can't let anything happen to you. We have a lifetime of adventures waiting for us, and there's no way I'm going on them without you!"

A soft, genuine smile spread across Gourry's face. It was the first time he'd smiled in several days, and it gave Lina a mix of relief and affection. For the moment, at least, he seemed to be returning to his former self. "Th-that's good to hear…" he stammered nervously. "…because there's no way I'd let you have all the adventures to yourself, uh-"

Lina laughed. He was a little slow with the delivery, but it was still one of his usual cheesy comebacks, and it was refreshing to hear after everything that they'd been through. "Gourry, you're great."

"Aw, thanks. I try." His words were humble, but the smile on his face was full of pride at the praise from her, even if it wasn't very specific. Strange, how much his mental state could be changed just through her support… It reminded Lina of the conversation they'd had before- had it been weeks ago? She cleared her throat and began again, hoping he'd recall it.

"Y'know, I think I remember you getting this nervous a while back when you tried to ask me something… and I stopped you and asked you to ask later. At this point, I think… well, I think it's been long enough. What do you think?"

Gourry blinked. "Huh? I was gonna ask you something? What's that?"

Lina was surprised by her own disappointment. "Oh, uh, never mind. If you don't remember, it's not important. I just thought you could use a little extra support after everything that happened, and-"

"OH!" Gourry reached out and grabbed her hand. "Y-you mean it? I can ask?"

"Only if you want to." Lina giggled in relief. Of course- he just needed a little reminder.

"I want to only if you'll say yes."

"Why would I tell you to ask if I was just going to turn you down? Do you really think I'd be that cruel?"

"W-well…" Gourry glanced away in embarrassment. "…I wasn't sure if you'd change your mind… after what happened… "

Lina was a little insulted. "You're  _totally_  right- I mean, your left arm was the best part of you. That's a deal-breaker right there." She hit him not-so-gently on the top of his head. " _How superficial do you think I am?!"_

"S-sorry." Gourry stammered, rubbing his head. "I guess I'm just nervous."

Lina's anger subsided. He  _was_  nervous, and still struggling with the situation. She'd been so relieved to see his true personality coming through again, she'd forgotten that she still needed to be gentle with him. "I'm sorry too," she spoke, raising up onto her knees so that she could kiss the top of his head where she'd hit him.

"So… you, uh…" He smiled up at her, some of his nervousness fading. "you'd really-"

There was a knock on the door and Amelia poked her head in, cutting off their conversation. "Miss Lina? Mister Gourry? Are you still awake?"

Rather than turning around to look at their friend, Lina leaned backwards and ended up falling over against the bed. "Yeah. What do you want?"

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to disturb you, but we just remembered there was something we wanted to talk to you about."

Lina sighed and sat up again, slipping off the side of the bed. "No problem. We were just chatting about stuff. I guess this is about plans for tomorrow?"

"Yes, it is." Amelia nodded and moved back through the doorway. "You can-"

"Hey, Gourry! Don't fall asleep. You need to be part of this discussion too!" Lina called, waving to him as he started pulling the blankets over himself.

"O-oh, I wasn't going to force him to-" Amelia began, but Lina waved her off.

" _I'm_  going to force him. He's part of the group. He needs to join in group activities."

"No one's forcing me." Gourry hopped to his feet, joining Lina. "I  _want_  to be included. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I'm sorry." Amelia gave an apologetic bow. "I was afraid you were tired or maybe in pain and didn't want to-"

"Yeah, I am, but I can't lie around feeling sorry for myself, or it's never going to improve." Gourry shot back. He realized that she was only trying to prevent him from getting angry like before, and he softened his voice. "I know I've been upset with you guys these past couple of days, but I'm getting better. I know that you've only been trying to help me."

* * *

"We can't stay here much longer. The more time we spend in one place, the more likely we are to become a target. Some Mazoku already know that we're here- since Adelaide and Pokota were attacked, there's been no activity, but we can't let our guards down." Zelgadis was beginning to lecture as he tried to describe their situation. Lina yawned conspicuously, but he didn't seem to notice- or care. "We'll need to leave soon and find a new place to stay. I propose that we return to the chateau and take whatever we need from it, then we leave the wildlife preserve and make our way back toward Ruvinigald."

"Why not Seyruun?" Amelia suggested. "I have connections there where we can likely be granted a hiding place. It would be the safest place to go, and it's not much farther from here than Ruvinigald is."

"If we're talking a safe place to be, Taforashia is closer than both Ruvinigald and Seyruun." Pokota offered. "We could go there."

"Right, but what are the repercussions of that?" Adelaide asked. "If the Ruvinigald government found out that Taforashia was harboring a wanted criminal, even if the Taforashian government wasn't involved, it would still be  _really_  bad for the countries' relations."

"Would it be any better with Seyruun?"

"Seyruun is a very large country." Zelgadis responded. "It's extremely powerful and there would be little chance of Ruvinigald taking drastic measures against it. Plus, Seyruun is highly regarded in terms of morality. With Seyruun having the reputation for being a leader in White Magic, popular opinion would likely favor Seyruun's stance on the situation, and it would be difficult for Ruvinigald to insist that Adelaide is guilty when Seyruun thinks she's innocent."

Pokota, who was perched on the back of Adelaide's chair, slumped disappointedly. Amelia caught on to his disappointment and called out to him.

"Th-that's not to say that Taforashia's worth is any less than Seyruun's-"

"No, I understand." Pokota shook his head. "Seyruun has been around longer than Taforashia has, and it has advantages that Taforashia doesn't. We'll go to Seyruun as soon as possible."

"But what does 'as soon as possible' mean? Are we leaving  _now_?" Adelaide glanced around nervously. "It's already dark out, so I'm not sure that's a good idea."

Amelia nodded in agreement, sending a glance toward where Lina and Gourry were sitting on the other side of the room. "On top of that, I'm worried about Mister Gourry. He's recovered a lot, but he still has a long way to go, and I don't want to risk aggravating any of his injuries."

"I agree, but with the situation like it is, we-" Zelgadis began to argue against Amelia's concerns, but he was interrupted by a much more blunt idea from Gourry.

"Then leave me behind."

There was a pause, and the whole group glanced toward him. Amelia was the first to speak. "I-I'm sorry, Mister Gourry, I didn't mean-"

"No, I'm not trying to be rude. I'm serious." Gourry insisted. " _I'm_ not wanted by the Ruvinigald government. The Mazoku don't want anything to do with me. I'm not going to end up in any trouble- you can leave me here. It's  _your_  safety that we're worried about- Adelaide especially."

"If Gourry stays here, I will too." Lina raised her hand. "I may be wanted by Ruvinigald, but I haven't done anything to incur Abaddon's wrath as far as I know. I'd refuse to leave Gourry by himself even if he was in perfect health- there's no way I'm going to leave him when he's still hurt. You four can go ahead, and Gourry and I will stay here."

The group exchanged awkward glances. Adelaide wasn't sure how to respond, so she just gave a helpless shrug, and Pokota copied the gesture. Zelgadis finally sighed.

"Fine. We'll leave Lina and Gourry here, and the four of us can escort Adelaide back to Seyruun-  _after_  we get the sword and the magic vessel from the chateau."

"… _magic vessel_?" Gourry asked, but Lina dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand, whispering to him that she'd explain things to him later.

"In any case, we should wait until morning to do that." Seeing the conversation stalling, Amelia took charge. "Yes, there's a danger of being captured by the Ruvinigald government, but after all that's happened, I think it's safe to say that the Mazoku are our most dangerous opponents." The group exchanged nods and there was a general murmur of consensus. "Leaving right now would cause us to be vulnerable- with the exception of Zelgadis and maybe Miss Adelaide, our senses aren't designed to work as well at night as they do during the day. The Mazoku could surprise us with an attack and we'd be at a disadvantage."

"Not to mention that it's pouring rain outside." Pokota groaned. "You guys may be able to dry off easily, but this stuffed animal body soaks up water like a sponge. It takes hours to dry off, so I have no intention of going out in the rain and getting all wet."

"A good night of sleep should be good for all of us." Lina suggested, standing up. "Gourry and I will see you guys off tomorrow morning when you're ready to-"

She cut off her sentence immediately.

Everyone had heard the sound and turned to look. It had been muffled by the pounding of rain on the roof, but it was clear that someone had knocked on the front door of the cabin. At first, no one wanted to move, waiting to see if perhaps it was just the sound of something being washed onto the porch by the rain, but it came again- a short, repetitive knock that was unmistakably intelligent.

Zelgadis spoke up in a whisper so low that some members of the group had trouble hearing him. " _Maybe if we pretend there's no one here, they'll go away_."

" _What if it's a hiker who's gotten lost in the rain?"_ Amelia asked.  _"We should help them._ "

" _And what if it isn't_?"

Lina groaned and pulled herself to her feet. "I'll get it."

She tried to play off the situation coolly, but she did draw her short sword before approaching the door, holding it in an offensive position, ready to strike with it if the need arose. With her free hand, she reached out and turned the knob, pushing the door open.

"Oh! It  _is_  you!"

Lina's arm relaxed so suddenly that she almost dropped her weapon. " _Meg_? Wh-what are you doing here?"

The woman was standing nervously on the porch, trying to wring out her blouse as best she could. She was soaked through from the rain and shivering, and Lina could tell that she'd been through a lot.

"Have you seen Inspector Morrigan?"


	23. Full Circle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

**23- Full Circle**

"Have you seen Inspector Morrigan?" Meg responded to Lina's question through chattering teeth.

"No…" Lina pushed the door open the rest of the way and motioned for the woman to enter. "There's no need for you to stay out there. Come inside, will you? Sit by the fire. Tell us what's going on."

"O-okay." Meg nodded her head and followed Lina into the room, sitting down on the floor by the fireplace.

"Explain things to everyone while I go get you a change of clothes. I'm sure that one of my spare outfits would fit you." Lina instructed, waving one hand at Meg. "If something's wrong, we need to know it."

"What happened to Inspector Morrigan? I thought you were his assistant." Zelgadis hovered over the woman with a frown of suspicion. Lina had told him what had happened between them the day that Gourry was injured, but he wasn't completely trusting of Meg. "Did the Mazoku do something to him?"

"I-I don't know.  _Gods_ , I hope not. He… he ran off."

"Ran off?" Adelaide asked. "That makes him sound like a dog."

"I don't know how to say it! He ran away! He got a tip from a hiker that there were some suspicious people she'd never seen before in the wildlife preserve, and he decided that it was his chance to arrest Adelaide, so he ventured out without even thinking of the consequences. Of course, he doesn't know about Abaddon or about the Mazoku plot involving the Ruvinigald Bureau of Investigation. He's been so confused by everything that's happened so far, I don't blame him for wanting to go off on his own. But… it's dangerous."

"Why didn't you tell him the truth?" Amelia asked.

"I couldn't! Xellos threatened to do something unspeakable if I said anything to him!"

"Xellos said that?" Gourry asked.

"Well, not in words, but… those eyes of his speak for themselves. They're terrifying." Meg shivered, and not from the cold this time.

"Here. It's a towel and a change of clothes." Lina had returned from the bedroom and handed Meg a bundle of clothing. "You can go into the bedroom over there and dry off. We'll hang your wet clothes by the fire to dry while we figure out everything that's going on.

"Th-thank you." Meg bowed her head and took the change of clothes, closing the bedroom door behind her as she left the main room of the cabin. Lina glanced over at the rest of the group.

"Miss Lina," Amelia began, "she said that-"

"I could hear her story through the door; no need to explain it to me."

"What are we supposed to do?" Gourry asked. "We have no idea where the inspector went. He could be anywhere in the nature preserve. How big is it, again?"

"Really big." Lina responded. "I don't know whether he has experience tracking, or whether he thought he'd be able to find us through sheer dumb luck, but it was really stupid of him to assume that he could do something like that on his own. He must've been really upset about how the case was turning out."

Gourry nodded. "I know a thing or two about doing regretful things when you're upset."

"How do we know she's telling the truth?" Zelgadis asked. "She could be luring us right into a trap-"

" _I have no reason to lie to you!_ " Meg's voice carried through the wall.

The group was silent for a moment. Zelgadis moved to sit down next to Amelia. "Is it possible that Inspector Morrigan could've gone back to wherever you're staying once he figured out that the preserve is far too large for one man to handle on his own?"

"I thought the same thing. I went back last night after searching for him all day, but he wasn't there." Meg opened the door again, crossing through the center of the room on her way to the porch to wring out her wet clothing. It was a little strange for the group, seeing someone else wearing one of Lina's outfits. Meg was shorter than Lina, but had a stockier build, and the outfit was visibly tight in some places. It wasn't enough so to be uncomfortable for her, however, and it was far better than wearing wet clothes. After a minute or two, she returned in from the porch and handed the wet clothing to Lina, who hung them near the fireplace to dry. "I… wish I knew what happened. He was only gone for about five minutes before I chased after him, but I had no idea what trail he took, so perhaps I went the wrong way at first." Meg sat down on the floor near the fire, rubbing her hands together in an attempt to keep herself from shivering.

"Is he a sorcerer? Does he know magic?" Pokota asked, jumping down from his perch on Adelaide's chair to speak to Meg directly. "I never actually got to know Maximillian, but I'm familiar with the Morrigan family- I used to play with some of his cousins when I was a little kid. His grandfather is a friend of my father's, and their family boasts some powerful sorcerers. If he has a decent grasp of magic, I'm sure nothing bad has happened to him."

"He does have some background in sorcery, but it's minimal." Meg answered. "When we first met, he tried to speak to me about magic, since my previous job had been with the Sairaag Sorcerers' Guild, but it was clear that his knowledge was superficial, and he was trying to make himself sound more knowledgeable than he really was. That's the kind of thing he does- he doesn't have much confidence in himself, I think."

Zelgadis cleared his throat. "If you're really under threat by Xellos not to tell him the truth about the situation, then we can't help you. For fear of Adelaide's safety and yours, we can't allow her to be exposed to the danger of an arrest from-"

"You guys don't have to do that." Gourry stood up and waved his hand to get their attention. "Lina and I will."

Lina jumped to her feet beside him. "W-wait a second! What are you volunteering us for?"

Meg looked up at them, placing her hand over her mouth to cover a small gasp. She hadn't yet gotten a decent look at Gourry, since he'd been sitting in a corner. "G-Gourry… your…"

"Don't worry about that, I'll tell you later," he assured her. "We were just planning to split up, and Lina and I weren't sure what to do. This gives us a chance to buy everyone else some time- we can help find Inspector Morrigan and turn ourselves in."

"T-turn yourselves in?" Meg gasped. "No way! You can't-"

"Oh, I get it!" Lina clapped her hands together. "Since I'm a wanted criminal, the Ruvinigald government will have to waste their time with me, giving Adelaide a chance to escape. By letting Inspector Morrigan arrest the two of us, we can give Adelaide enough time to get to Seyruun."

Pokota hopped over and perched on Lina's shoulder. "Are you sure about this? Do you really want to be arrested?"

"Don't you worry about Gourry and me!" Lina laughed. "We'll be fine. We've done our time in jails and dungeons before. There's nothing that Ruvinigald can throw at us that we can't handle. And if worst comes to worst, we'll always break out."

"Are you two sure about this?" Zelgadis asked. "Getting arrested is a big deal. What if something happens-"

"I'll make sure nothing happens to them." Meg interrupted.

"And you expect us to trust you?"

"Why are you so suspicious? Why would I lie?" she demanded in reply. "What motive would I have for betraying Arthur's brother? After all I did for him, you think-"

"This does not need to turn into a debate." Lina stepped between the two of them to break eye-contact. "My decision is already made, and I assume that, since Gourry suggested it, he agrees. We'll go with Meg, find Inspector Morrigan, and turn ourselves in."

"Then what?" Zelgadis demanded.

"What are you expecting to do in Seyruun- are you expecting Abaddon to chase you into the White Magic capital of the world so that you can destroy them completely? Are you  _insane_?" Lina began to yell, pacing back and forth making large gestures with her hands. "What you're doing is  _hiding_."

"We're getting Adelaide somewhere safe." Zelgadis shot back.

" _Hiding_. Yes." Lina snapped. "And then what? Leave a powerful, capable sorceress in some temple while you go fight the bad guys yourself?"

"The magic vessel Adelaide is looking for may cause her to regress to the form of a child. We can't risk her getting hurt if she-"

"I don't care about  _ifs_. I care about what's happening  _right now_." Lina shook her head. "Once Gourry and I are arrested by the Ruvinigald officials, we can get information on the Mazoku who're pulling the strings there. They're the ones who put Adelaide on the wanted list in the first place. If we can get to them, we can negotiate."

"Xellos is very powerful." Meg warned. "And he's answering to someone even higher up."

"We're well aware of Xellos' power and his loyalties." Lina allowed her voice to calm some, seeing that their plans were beginning to settle. "After a few days without any activity, things are starting to happen all at once. It's causing stress for all of us. Let's calm down, stop worrying about the specifics, and start  _preparing_. Okay?"

"If you need me, I'll be on the front porch." Zelgadis spoke, standing up from the couch and moving toward the front door. Amelia moved to follow him, but he gave her a quick "I want some time alone" and she sat down again.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. The pounding of the rain on the roof offered a distraction, but it wasn't much of one.

"…well…" Lina finally spoke, pulling herself to her feet. "…if there's nothing else to talk about, I was just going to sleep. Good night, guys. Hopefully everyone will be a little more agreeable in the morning."

Gourry glanced around before following after her. "I'm tired. I'm going to sleep too."

"Oh!" Meg reached out to catch his attention. "Tomorrow, I want to find out what happened to y-"

"Yeah, yeah. Lina can tell you better than I can- I don't remember it much. We'll have plenty of things to discuss while we're looking for your friend."

He closed the door behind him, leaving Meg curled up on the floor with her knees tucked under her chin. "…my friend… I can't believe I let him do this. He's so young, he's practically a child, and he's all alone out there. He's stuck in the rain with nowhere to go, and no one around…"

"H-hey, hey. Don't think like that! He's a smart man- I'm sure he's found some shelter." Pokota tried to reassure her. "And he's not much younger than Lina or Amelia or Adelaide, right? They can take care of themselves just fine."

"I suppose that's true, when I think about it like that." Meg sighed. "I've always felt like I had to take care of him, I can't help thinking of him that way. I know that he can take care of himself, but he's so headstrong, it sometimes feels like he doesn't think about what he's doing. I worry about him."

Amelia chuckled. "This group knows what that's like- running headfirst into trouble, I mean. Most of us have a bad habit of not considering the consequences of our actions before doing anything. We can be pretty reckless at times."

" _Us_ , reckless?" Pokota laughed. "Where would you get an idea like that?"

"If you're confused, I could give a few examples." Adelaide offered, and the two laughed again.

Amelia stood up, giving a smile and a wave. "I'm going outside to speak with Zelgadis. He has a habit of working himself into a slump when he gets angry like this and I don't want him distracted."

"Okay, then." Adelaide waved in reply. "If you need me to knock some sense into him, don't hesitate to ask."

"You sound like Miss Lina. Don't worry about that." Amelia gave her a wink. "Knocking some sense into him is  _my_  job."

* * *

Amelia gave the front door a small knock as she peeked her head outside. "Hey, Mister Grumpy-pants. Finished moping yet?"

"Please stop calling me that when I'm concerned about important matters." Zelgadis gave her a deadpan stare, but she didn't seem to notice.

"What is there to be concerned about?"

"There's  _lots_  to be concerned about. If we split ways, what's going to happen? What if Abaddon  _does_  follow us to Seyruun? And what if they don't? What then? What's going to happen to Lina and Gourry? Is it safe for Gourry to be turning himself in the way his injuries are now? Can we really trust Meg to watch out for them-"

"Hey, hey. Stop it with the questions." Amelia reached out and gave him a supportive pat on the shoulder. "It'll be alright."

"Can you say that with certainty?"

"Maybe not, but there's no reason to be upset. Nothing will ever be one-hundred percent sure. We can't possibly be certain that our plans will work out like we want them to. There's no point in losing sleep over that- figuratively or literally."

Zelgadis sighed and glanced out at the rain. "It could always be worse. I'd hate to be Inspector Morrigan right now. The rain's been getting worse and worse since this afternoon."

"See? That's one good thing." Amelia smiled at him. "And I understand your concern for Mister Gourry, but the fact that he suggested that plan himself must mean that he's feeling better. He seemed confident in his idea. We should respect that."

"I know, but… I really wanted to get in some practice with him. His balance is still off, and I wanted to work with him on adapting his technique to fix that."

Amelia gestured toward the door. "He went to sleep, but I'm sure that, if you wake him up, he'd be willing to practice- anything for Lina to give him back his sword."

"Nah. I don't want to bother him, and it's too dark outside anyway." Zelgadis shook his head. "I'm sure that, once all this confusion dies down, we'll be able to work on it."

"Once all this confusion dies down… we've been saying that a lot, haven't we?"

"Well, it's not like we have much of a choice. There's not much we can do in a situation like this one. Planning for the future is tough when you're on the run for your life."

He was standing on the edge of the porch with his arms resting on the railing, and so Amelia moved to stand next to him and lean against his shoulder. "What kinds of plans do you have for the future anyway?"

"None, really. Like I said, it's difficult to-"

"I'm talking long-term. Not just after this situation or the next, but over your life in general. What are you thinking about?"

He turned to look down at her. "Is this a roundabout way of asking me if I'm serious about our relationship?"

"N-no, no!" She waved her hands back and forth in an attempt to assure him of her sincerity. "I didn't mean it like that. I just thought I'd ask about… what kind of ideas you have about your own life. You were so adamant about your decision when you decided against using the magic vessel that Miss Adelaide told you about. Are you having second thoughts?"

"Definitely not." Zelgadis shook his head. "There's no way I'd risk a sacrifice like that. Maybe a long time ago, I might have, but I've built too good of a life. I have too many friends to-" He stopped himself. "Did I just say that? I have  _too many_  friends? That's a collection of words I  _never_  thought I'd say together. What kind of life am I leading?"

"A very good one." Amelia laughed. "I'm sure the others would agree."

"It's good to have friends, isn't it?"

"Well,  _yeah_. That's the point. It's not a healthy friendship if it doesn't benefit both members."

"We're friends, right? You and I are, I mean- I know I'm not always the most supportive person and I can sometimes-"

"We're friends.  _Absolutely_." She reached out and grasped his hand in hers. "And as long as friends have the power of Justice on their side, nothing can come between them!"

"Maybe you're right." Zelgadis finally offered a smile in reply. "Maybe all I need is a Justice-speech to knock some sense into my head."

"I  _told_  them that was my job!"

"What?"

"N-nothing."

The two were silent for a moment, watching the rain fall. Amelia cleared her throat awkwardly and spoke.

"…I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Sorry that your cure didn't work out this time. You were so close and so intent on it. I know how much it means to you, and to make the decision that you made was very brave… I wish there was something I could do."

Zelgadis stared at her for a moment in surprise. He was so used to her you're-perfect-the-way-you-are sentiment, he hadn't expected her to actually apologize. "It's alright. Don't get me wrong- I really do want to find a cure- but if I spend the rest of my life following you on missions of Justice… I don't think I'd mind."

"Who's to say that you won't find your cure on one of our Justice missions?" Amelia was quick to reply. "You never know what will happen!"

Zelgadis laughed. "Amelia, if your convoluted schemes of Justice result in a cure for me, I'd forever be in your debt. Hell, I'd propose marriage to you on the spot."

Amelia's eyes widened. "Is that… a  _challenge?_ "

"Huh?"

"That sounds like a challenge to me!" she declared firmly. "I'll accept your wager!"

"You…" Zelgadis couldn't help but crack a smile, reaching out to give her hair an affectionate tousle. "Fine, fine. A wager it is, then. But I'm warning you, I'm not a pleasant man to make a bet with."

Amelia's grin didn't waver. "I'm not worried."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm running out of time, so I'll be posting daily until the story is complete. Thank you to everyone who's been following along, and I apologize for the rush job in uploading- it does not reflect a rush job in writing, I assure you. I simply have a backlog of chapters and little to no time available to post them after a certain point.


	24. Search and Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

 

**24- Search and Rescue**

The rain had tapered off by midnight and the clouds were beginning to dissipate. The cabin was quiet as the group had gone to sleep- most of them.

Adelaide tiptoed out onto the front porch, trying her best not to wake anyone. It was really Meg that she was the most worried about. Meg seemed really scared of both Xellos- one of the Mazoku who was framing Adelaide- and Abaddon- the Mazoku who wanted Adelaide dead. It felt to her like she was being hunted from both sides and had nowhere to turn. She wanted very badly for her mother's magic vessel to work, both to change her physically and to take away her memories of all this. But… she was having second thoughts too.

"Hey, is everything alright?"

Adelaide jumped to her feet, falling against one of the posts as she saw the source of the voice and calmed down. "Wh-what are you thinking, scaring me like that? I thought you were asleep!"

"Sorry. I tried, but I couldn't sleep." Pokota hopped up onto the porch railing, glancing up at the sky. "Wow, look at that! The clouds are finally clearing. Maybe we'll get to see the sun again tomorrow."

"That  _would_  be nice." Adelaide sighed, moving over to lean on the railing next to him. "What's on your mind that you can't sleep? Is something bothering you?"

"I could ask the same of you."

"Me? What do I have to be worried about?" Adelaide placed a hand to her chest with an innocent expression. "I'm only being hunted by two powerful, opposing Mazoku groups."

"Yeah, I know. Who in their right mind would be stressed about  _that_?"

Adelaide grinned and gave his shoulder a friendly nudge. "Thanks. I don't mean to be rude- I feel a little bit better talking to someone who can throw my sarcasm back at me."

"Oh, well… you might be better off asking Lina and Zelgadis about that. I just call things like I see them." Pokota scratched the back of his head, a little flustered by her gratitude. "But thanks. I'm glad I can cheer you up. It's tough seeing you so upset about things."

"Tough for you?" Adelaide glanced up at him.

"Well, yeah. You're my friend. Don't the others act the same way towards you?"

"I suppose so." Adelaide paused a moment and then giggled. "I mentioned once that I've been unlucky in love and Lina and Amelia tried to give me relationship advice. That's the ultimate form of trust between friends."

"Relationship advice? Like what?"

"Ah, nothing much." Adelaide turned to rest her back against the porch railing. "The usual- if she can't see how wonderful you are, she's not worth your time- sort of thing. Actually, it was more political advice, since I admitted that I'm considering a political marriage."

"P-political marriage?!" Pokota nearly fell off the railing. "To  _who_?"

"I don't know. Someone who can help me raise the status of Ruvinigald. After the fiasco with the Zanaffar, a lot of my mother's illegal activities were revealed and respect for the country plummeted. If I could marry some noble to make an alliance with another country, maybe it would help. …of course, after this scandal, it's not like anyone would want to marry me."

"The situation would be difficult to navigate; I won't deny that." Pokota moved to sit on her shoulder. "But that's why we're working hard to clear your name. There's no reason that you shouldn't be able to do something you've set your mind to like that."

"You approve?"

"Of  _course_! I know more than anybody how it feels to be concerned for the sake of your country. If there's anything you could do for your people, you would. That's the way I feel for Taforashia, but I'm limited by my… current situation. Trying to be taken seriously in politics like this is troublesome. People think I'm a joke."

"I don't doubt it."

"I want to show people that I'm a human just like them, but there's only so much that I can do. In the end, they're probably right- Taforashia may suffer in the future if they keep me as their prince."

"Keep you? You mean they're thinking of replacing you?"

"They wouldn't dare do it while my dad is still living. But I've already been approached and asked if I would step down when my father passes away. I have an older cousin who's studied at major universities in Seyruun and Kalmaart. She's intelligent, hardworking, and genuinely cares for Taforashia, so she's the one that they have their eye on. She has expressly told me that she doesn't want to take the throne and trusts my ability to lead no matter what I look like, but… if the people really want a leader they can actually identify with, there's not much we can do."

Adelaide bowed her head a little. "I know it's tough to feel that helpless. If I were Amelia or Lina, I might say something about  _making_  them accept you for who you are, or about being confident in yourself, but I know it's not that simple. We can give optimistic speeches all we want, but in the end, it's not easy to change the mindset of so many people. Something like that can take centuries, and we humans… just don't have that."

There was a long silence between the two. Pokota wanted to find a way to acknowledge Adelaide's wisdom in her response to his worries. He would've appreciated the optimism he might've gotten from someone else, but Adelaide was right. In the end, it would only amount to hollow words. Having someone understand the situation was more comforting than anything else.

Adelaide cleared her throat and spoke again. "Have you considered marrying your cousin? I know that sounds bad, but royal families have a history of that sort of thing. It would put her on the throne like the officials want, but you'd still retain the responsibilities and-"

"She's engaged to someone already. I care about her too much to get in the way of her happiness."

"Ah." Adelaide nodded her head solemnly. "I understand. That's the same thing that I said to Lina and Amelia yesterday when they suggested that I marry... a close friend of mine. I wouldn't do that to him."

"Oh?" Pokota moved off her shoulder and back onto the railing so that they could converse better. "Who's the friend?"

"No one important." She shook her head, glancing away. "But I don't want my lack of interest in romance to get in the way of someone else's happy ending. To be perfectly honest, I don't care much for it."

"Romance, you mean?"

"Yes. There was a point, some time ago, in which I thought I knew what romantic love was, but… it turns out that I was wrong. And now I'm not so sure if I really want to find out. Don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against it. Lina and Gourry and Amelia and Zelgadis seem really happy. But not everyone gets enjoyment out of the same things. I played the cello in my school's orchestra and while I loved it, some of the other students hated it. Romance is probably the same way- it's great for some people, but not for others, and not for me. Does that make sense? I'm sorry; you look confused."

"I'm not confused- I'm surprised!" Pokota shot back. "I've never met someone else who felt like that before. I've had a lot of people tell me that I just need to mature, but… I've been alive for twenty-three years. I don't think it's going to happen. And even if it does, why does that invalidate what I'm feeling right now. Why should it matter?"

He waited for an answer, but instead he found himself wrapped up in a big hug instead. Adelaide grabbed hold of Pokota and squeezed him tightly. "Don't worry! I believe you! Your feelings are  _absolutely_ valid!"

"H-hey, ow! Loosen your grip a little!" Pokota tried not to squirm, not wanting her to think he was ungrateful for the affection. He  _was_  grateful- really grateful. It was nice to hear someone willing to accept his feelings for how they were instead of how they might be in the future, and he didn't want to refuse her affections. She just had a tight grip- ouch!

"Sorry." Adelaide released him and stepped back. He hopped over to her shoulder, lest she think he was unhappy or uncomfortable with her. "I guess I was so excited to hear that someone else feels the way I do, I got too emotional."

"You swordsmen have incredible upper-body strength. Try to watch that." Pokota scolded. "But, thanks. It's good to know that someone knows how I feel- about my responsibility too my country and everything. Thank you for being willing to listen."

"We'll get through this! We've got to have the others' optimism." Adelaide gave a bright smile. "Even though it'll be difficult, we have to have the courage to work through it. Taforashia and Ruvinigald both have bright futures, I'm sure of it!"

Pokota smiled in reply, but it wasn't quite as bright as Adelaide's. "Before we can help our countries, we need to make sure that your name is cleared. To do that, we need to get what you're looking for from the chateau and return to Seyruun. We should probably get some rest then; we'll have a long day tomorrow…"

Adelaide was silent for a moment. Pokota waved a hand in front of her face until she snapped to attention again. "A-ah, yes! We should. Right."

"You okay?"

"I'm fine, don't worry." Adelaide shook her head. "Just… rethinking some things."

"Okay, well… if you need any help, feel free to ask me. I won't mind."

"After just now? I feel like I can tell you anything." Adelaide assured him with a smile. "But this is something I have to work out on my own." She moved back toward the door of the cabin. "You can stay out here as long as you like, but I'm going to try to get some sleep."

"Hey, don't leave without me. I need to sleep too-"

Adelaide was just reaching for the handle when the door pulled open from the inside. Both Adelaide and Pokota jumped back in surprise.

"H-hey!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Meg responded quickly. "I didn't realize anyone was out here. What are you two-"

"It's not like that!" Adelaide quickly interrupted. "Neither of us could sleep, and we were just discussing some political concerns."

"Of course not; I didn't mean to sound like I was assuming-"

"It's fine." Adelaide murmured, glancing down at her feet. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Meg moved around the two out onto the porch. "The humidity was giving me a headache, so I decided to take a walk to clear my head. That usually helps."

"Okay, then. Hope you feel better." Adelaide waved as she stepped inside with Pokota resting on her shoulder. She closed the door behind them with a sigh of relief. "Sorry, Pokota. I didn't mean to sound like I didn't want to be seen with you, I just-"

"No, no, I understand how rumors can start- especially for nobility who are already under scrutiny. While Meg seems above starting that sort of thing, you never know."

Adelaide smiled, grateful for his understanding. "Wouldn't that be a scandal? You and me, I mean."

"That's exactly the kind of scandal that our countries  _don't need_  right now."

"You said it. This whole adventure is probably giving them enough to talk about anyway…"

"…that's true…"

* * *

"…th-that's horrible… and to think that Abaddon is responsible for all that pain… I'm so sorry."

The group continued down the path, careful to avoid the large puddles of rainwater and mud that had collected from the past days of rain. Meg hugged her arms tightly around her as she listened to Lina's story, horrified by the damage the Mazoku had done, both physically and mentally.

"Well, it wasn't all the Mazoku's fault. It was partially ours for provoking it. It was there to monitor something and didn't want to be bothered with two confused humans." Lina shrugged. "If we'd left it alone, it wouldn't have hurt us."

"You mean, if  _I'd_ left it alone." Gourry corrected. "You don't have to speak so delicately about the situation- I know that I'm the one who got myself into this mess. I'm so glad that you can so accurately recount my stupidity."

"Hey, don't say that." Lina chided. "It wasn't stupidity so much as it was grief and anger. You were acting on instinct and rage, and that's a dangerous combination."

"And I suppose that could be my fault." Meg shook her head. "If I hadn't told you about Arthur, I-"

"Can we  _stop_ placing the blame on each other? What happened, happened. That's it. It's done and we have to deal with the consequences." Lina waved her hands around in the air, stepping in front of the others and stopping them. "Our goal today is to find our dear friend Inspector Morrigan. To do that, we'll have to work together. Okay?"

"Yes, Lina." "Y-yes, Miss Lina."

Lina sighed. It was a good feeling when people listened to what she had to say. She turned back around, waving for them to follow her. "I've been so busy telling Meg the story she wanted to hear, I haven't yet had the chance to brainstorm some ideas for the best way to go about this. Any ideas?"

"Oh! We could use  _levitation_ spells to search from the air. That way we could cover more ground faster." Meg suggested. "Wouldn't that work?"

" _I'll_  stick to the trail on foot, but you two can do that." Gourry offered. "I'd just be a burden to one of you."

"Oh, you don't…?"

"I don't think it's safe for more than one of us to be in the sky at once." Lina interrupted Meg's question, not giving Gourry time to answer and possibly feel worse about himself because of his lack of magical skills. "Remember that there's still Mazoku out there. Meg, didn't you say that Abaddon has a grudge against you for stealing the Sword of Light from them?"

"Yes."

"Then maybe you should stay on the ground with Gourry. He's fast, so he can survey a lot of ground at once and see more things that I might not be able to from the air if there's a thick clump of trees." Lina instructed. "I'll be searching the air for any area of disturbed land that might indicate the remains of a campsite. Gourry, since it's still early, there's a chance that any fire he would've made will have been put out recently... if he was even able to make a fire in this weather. If you can smell the remains of a fire somewhere, we might get close."

"You can count on me!" Gourry gave an obedient salute.

Meg glanced around. "Is that really okay? I mean, with something like that, wouldn't you see it before you smelled it?"

"Gourry has a really good sense of smell. Better than any human I've ever met." Lina responded.

"Ah." Meg wrung her hands nervously. "So if you're surveying from the air, and he's taking in the surroundings, what can I do? I want to help-"

"Hey, there's a campfire in that direction."

The two girls paused to look. Gourry was pointing off the trail to the east, across a large meadow. There was no sign of anyone nearby- the field of wildflowers appeared completely undisturbed, basking in the sun after the days of rain that had pelted the land.

"Are you sure…?" Meg ventured. "I don't like the idea of leaving the trail, especially when we're not completely sure-"

"Do you think Inspector Morrigan would've stayed on the trail?"

"No, probably not."

"Then let's go! Lead the way, Gourry." Lina pointed in the direction that Gourry had specified, allowing him to start a path through the meadow in search of the fire smell he'd picked out. Lina was surprised that he could follow the scent through the overwhelming smell of the flowers that surrounded them, but she chalked it up to the fact that the smell of a fire was something associated with food, and if there was one thing that Gourry was good at, it was locating the nearest source of food.

"It's definitely coming from somewhere in that forest on the other side of this field, but I'm not sure how deep it goes. Is anybody else sinking into the mud every time they take a step?"

"A little bit, I suppose…" Lina commented. "But not so much. It's probably because you weigh a lot more than I do. You're so heavy, you sink father into the mud when you walk."

"Hey! Muscle weighs a lot, y'know! Besides, I'm not  _that_  heavy. I've lost a lot of weight recently." There was a moment of silence. "…it's a joke. Get it? Because of my arm-"

"We get it, Gourry." Lina gave him a deadpan look. "It just feels a little too soon to be making jokes like that."

"Hey- only  _I_ can make jokes like that, so it's okay. I know I'm not going to hurt my own feelings, so it's all good."

"Yeah, whatever…"

"Are you still feeling guilty about the whole thing? Is that it?"

"No. I told you, there's no point in putting blame on anybody. We just have to move on from the situation."

"Then why does your voice sound so guilty?" "My voice does not sound guilty!" "Yeah, it does." " _Gourry_!"

"Um," Meg murmured, raising one hand. "can we… focus, please?"

Lina and Gourry both sighed in unison. "Yes ma'am."

* * *

Morrigan poked at his campfire with a stick, glancing around nervously. He could swear he was hearing something nearby, but it was possible that it was only his imagination. It had taken a tremendous effort to find kindling with which he could build a fire after all the rain, and he didn't want to put it out just yet, unsure if he'd be able to find more later. He hadn't thought ahead and hadn't taken enough food and water with him. He was lost and alone and hadn't seen another human for two days. He was beginning to get discouraged, though he refused to admit it to himself.

" _Inspector…? Inspector Morrigan!_ "

At first, he thought he was imagining things. He'd been alone for long enough that he was certain no one would be around to find him- especially not Meg, who'd been so against the idea of the search to begin with. He heard the voice again, but didn't respond until she was standing right in front of him.

"…M-Meg?" Morrigan blinked a few times. "H-how did you… where did… why?"

"You idiot! What were you thinking?!" Meg threw her arms around his waist, hugging tightly. "I can't believe you'd do something so stupid as to run off all by yourself with no idea where you're going. Do you know how worried I was?"

"You were worried?"

"You're my  _friend_! Of  _course_  I was worried about you!" She let go and took a step back so that she could properly scold him. "Think of how many dangers there must be out here. You could've died."

"…I… I suppose I wasn't thinking…" Morrigan stammered, still too surprised by what was happening. He hadn't even realized yet that Meg was accompanied by anyone else, and Lina's voice caused him to jump in surprise.

"You'd better make this up to her. She's been worried sick about you."

"You- y-y-you're…" It took the man a moment to get his own thoughts straight. "L-Lina Inverse! What are you doing here? You're wanted for obstruction of justice, you know."

"I know." Lina put on a penitent act, sniffling as she continued. "Gourry and I just couldn't live with ourselves, thinking about what we'd done. We had to do something. So we've come to turn ourselves in."

Morrigan stared dumbly for a moment. "…huh?"

"You heard me. We're turning ourselves in." Lina held out her hands. "Go ahead. Arrest us. You're obligated to, aren't you?"

Still unable to process the situation, Morrigan took a step back, staring at Meg helplessly. "Am I hallucinating?"

"They're serious." Meg gave him an encouraging nod. "This is what they've decided."

"But… but…" Morrigan looked back and forth until his gaze finally settled on Gourry. "Gourry isn't even wanted. We have no evidence to connect him to Lady Adelaide's escape."

Lina and Gourry exchanged an uneasy glance. They'd expected this might happen.

"That doesn't matter! You can just arrest me anyway." Gourry ventured.

"…I really can't…"

"You have his testimony." Lina offered. "If Gourry confesses to a crime, you at least have to detain him in order to investigate. Isn't that right?"

"But he hasn't-"

"I'm an accomplice. I helped Lina and Adelaide escape."

"Do you realize the severity of what you're saying? For goodness' sakes-" Morrigan clenched his fists in frustration, not necessarily at Lina and Gourry, but at how the situation was progressing. "I'm not going to arrest you."

"You have to arrest me!" Gourry insisted. "I've done all kinds of bad things! I steal food from Lina all the time- well, I mean, we usually buy food jointly so it's not like I'm stealing for  _real_ \- and there was one time that I walked on somebody's garden even though there was a sign that said to keep off the grass- I didn't  _see_  the sign at first, I promise- a-and I kicked a puppy once- it was totally on accident, of course, and I apologized a whole bunch of times and bought it some treats, but-"

"Gourry." Lina gently touched his arm. "You're not doing yourself any favors."

"Sorry."

"Besides that, what…" Morrigan couldn't help but point, and then realized it was probably rude and lowered his hand. "…what happened to your arm?"

"Oh, that?" Gourry asked. "Don't worry about it! I picked a fight with a Mazoku recently and kinda… lost it. Oops. You know how that saying goes- I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached to my body."

"But your arm  _was_  attached to your body!"

"…is that important?"

Morrigan buried his face in his hands. "I can't even tell if you're serious anymore. I can't do this. I refuse to arrest either of you."

"B-but inspector," Meg began, "even Inspector Freion had a difficult time catching Lina Inverse when she was wanted by the Ruvinigald Kingdom before. Think of what the others will say when you bring her in! All your hard work will have paid off. And besides that, having Lina Inverse in custody means that you can find Lady Adelaide more easily. It would reflect so well on you. Wouldn't you like that?"

"I don't care! I don't care anymore!" Morrigan shook his head. "This whole case is unraveling and I don't like it. I've been questioning whether Lady Adelaide is even guilty, after the lack of evidence that we've found. One girl can't possibly be this good at hiding evidence, especially when she's on the run from the law. There's another player in all of this- probably that Abaddon character that we've heard bits and pieces about in all the reports, but the Bureau of Investigation won't acknowledge it. I'm about ready to give up!"

The others each took a step back, giving the man some room to cool down after his outburst. Morrigan sank to his knees with a sigh.

"…I'm sorry… after all I've gone through to get where I am now, I should be happy… but something about this doesn't feel right…"

Lina approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"…yes, that would be nice."


	25. Facts of Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

**25- Facts of Life**

"Hey, uh, Zelgadis…?"

Adelaide spoke up as the group walked- no, sloshed would be the better term, with the state of the ground beneath their feet- through the trail that led back the chateau. The next day had brought with it sunshine and a much-needed relief from the rain, but the after-effects of the storm were very clear in the layers of mud caked onto the travelers' boots. Zelgadis heard Adelaide's voice and turned to listen to her curiously. "What is it?"

"It's just- I was wondering if you'd figured out how we're going to discern what item is the magical vessel. How will we know which one it is? My mother had a seal placed over it, and while I assume that we can work around that, I'm not totally sure how-"

Zelgadis stopped abruptly, causing Amelia to bump into him and Adelaide to bump into her. He looked at Adelaide with an exasperated expression. "Finding the magical vessel is  _your_  job! You're the only one who wants it now- and don't back out just because it's inconvenient all of a sudden. This whole trip has been an inconvenience, and it'd be a shame if you didn't get what you were looking for."

"You're the more powerful sorcerer. If anyone would know how to find it, it's you."

"I've already looked, and I couldn't find anything special. I'm clueless- you'll have to help."

"Help? I've never even seen the thing! I've only heard about it through other people. How can I  _help_?"

Amelia hung back a short distance, leaving the two cousins to banter. Pokota landed on her head, watching in frustration.

"We've been gone for ten minutes and they've already broken the 'no-arguments' promise." he sighed sadly.

"And here I thought they'd keep getting along once they found out they were related. Silly me." Amelia groaned in agreement.

"Should we say something? They  _did_  promise."

"No, if we draw attention to them now, they'll just claim that this doesn't count as an argument, and we'll all be in a tizzy about that. It wouldn't be worth it."

"Whatever you say."

Zelgadis was still arguing. "-that you're never going to be able to prove your innocence if you're not willing to work for it-"

"-I'm just saying that maybe this whole magical vessel thing is a bad idea." Adelaide interrupted. "You already decided that you don't want it, and it's not like I…  _need_ it. Maybe we should just find the sword I'm looking for and leave. It would make things easier."

There was a pause in the conversation, and the group stopped walking. "…after all that you've done for this vessel, all of a sudden you've decided that you don't want it?"

"I-it's not that!" Adelaide waved her hands frantically. "It's not that I don't  _want_  it, but if I don't  _need_  it, then-"

"Miss Adelaide, if you decide that you don't want to give up the friendships you've made, no one will blame you." Amelia spoke up. "Zelgadis has been so determined to find a cure for so long, but even he isn't willing to give up who he is in order to get it. Your memories are important to you, and there's no reason you should feel obligated to give them up."

"It's not like that." Adelaide shook her head. "I-I mean, not that I would be willing to give up my friendships so easily, but you understand that my situation is really-"

"You don't have to justify your decision to us." Zelgadis interrupted. "It's your own life. You choose to manage it how you wish. As your friends, we have to respect that."

"Thank you." Adelaide responded, though her expression was pained. "It's even worse now… just this morning, the demon's spirit has been restless and I'm so scared that something's going to happen."

"It's true. There's something here that's causing the brau demon energy to act oddly. It could be Mazoku, but I'm not sure."

"Oh, you too? I thought it was just me."

"No, there's definitely something here." Zelgadis shook his head, continuing down the trail. "It's possible that there's a Mazoku or two lying in wait to ambush us."

" _What_?" Amelia ran after him, grabbing the end of his cape and tugging on it. "How can you say that so casually? Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm not sure." Zelgadis paused so that he could tug his cape away from her. "But I can't think of anything else that would make a brau demon so skittish. Brau demons don't generally have predators because of their astral power, but Mazoku sometimes prey on them when human sources of miasma are scarce."

"I don't like to think of myself as prey." Adelaide shuddered.

"No one does. But when dealing with Mazoku, that's unavoidable." Zelgadis shook his head. "We can't let it frighten us, though. That's what they want and it'll only make them more powerful."

Adelaide grabbed hold of Zelgadis' cape and held it tightly. "Easier said than done!"

"Would you two stop pulling on my cloak?"

"We're not walking knowingly into an ambush, are we?" Amelia ignored his request, walking in front of him to block the path. "No matter how confident we are in our abilities, you have to admit that's a bad idea."

"She's right." Pokota jumped over and perched on Amelia's head. "Those Mazoku definitely wanted Adelaide and me dead. They're not going to hold back when they attack us."

" _When_ and not  _if_?" Adelaide ventured nervously.

"You've been with us long enough to know the answer to that." Pokota responded. "Mazoku don't give up."

Adelaide sighed, beginning to trudge along the path again. "I suppose that if I'm walking toward an inevitable fate, I can't fight it. Let's go ahead and fight some Mazoku, then."

" _I'm glad to hear you feel that way._ "

The voice caused everyone in the group to stop in their tracks, looking around frantically in an attempt to see where the sound was coming from. Adelaide felt herself flinching and drawing back from an attack before she consciously knew that it was coming. By the time she realized what was going on, she could feel the ground shaking beneath her feet and could hear the others yelling and beginning to fire spells.

_I'm the one those Mazoku want. There's no sense in dragging my friends into this. If I run, maybe I can lure them away… and then what?_   _Let the Mazoku kill me? Maybe if I could find Father's sword, it would give me the courage to fight back. I couldn't save him, but maybe I can save my friends._

"Hey! I'm the one you want! Leave them alone!" Adelaide yelled, and didn't wait to hear her friends' or the Mazoku's reactions before running as fast as she could. Maybe it wouldn't work, but it was the best idea she could think of.

* * *

"There, there. Everything's going to be alright. You don't have to worry." Gourry gave Inspector Morrigan an encouraging pat on the shoulder. How he'd found himself comforting the young man, he wasn't quite sure. The invitation for Morrigan to talk about his problems had opened a floodgate of stories and childhood issues that, while they seemed boring to the others, had the inspector really upset.

"Th-this wasn't how I'd hoped this job would be." he sniffled. "I mean, I worked really hard for this. It's been my  _dream_  to be a detective. It's always been. But now that I've reached it, I don't feel like I'm supposed to. Aren't I supposed to be happy?"

"Well, I don't know." Gourry offered with a pensive frown. "Isn't achieving your dream at such a young age a little underwhelming? How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"See? Wow, that's really young! I always assumed you were older, like maybe Lina's age. Must be the moustache." Gourry stared a little before continuing. "When I was seventeen, I was really immature and I got myself in all kinds of trouble. I got involved with the wrong crowd- mercenaries, really rough people, y'know?- and did stuff I regret. I wasn't working toward my dream, and I  _definitely_  wasn't achieving it. You've gotta put your life into perspective like that."

"…I suppose…" Morrigan nodded, trying his best to smile. "I guess I should think of it like that. I have a long life ahead of me, hopefully. I should continue to work toward my goals without worrying about doing things so fast."

"That's the spirit!" Gourry responded with enthusiasm. "Keep that attitude and you can change your whole outlook!"

Lina and Meg watched on from a short distance. "Is… Gourry always this encouraging?" Meg asked. "He's like a supportive older brother, or a father figure."

"Yeah, Gourry's always been this way." Lina shrugged. "He likes helping others. Sometimes a little too much, but I'm happy to see him back to his normal self now. He's been really torn up about his injuries recently, with good reason, but it's tough to see him like that."

"It  _is_  tough to see someone you love lose themselves, isn't it?"

Lina's first reaction was to snap defensively, but she caught herself. Now wasn't the time or place to get hung up on others' perceptions of her emotions- and perhaps her feelings for Gourry were more obvious than she wanted to admit. "You sound like you speak from experience."

"Arthur was like that. When he got his mind set on something, he'd do anything to get it. Toward the end… when he was working on the Sword of Light, he got so absorbed in it, he started to lose who he was."

"I see. He was different from Gourry in that way, I suppose." Lina gave a nod. "Gourry is much more laid-back. It takes a lot to shake him, which is why his recent behavior has been so concerning. I want to do more to help him, but this is something he'll have to get through on his own.

"That's true."

"So, Gourry, what's your dream anyway?" Morrigan and Gourry were still continuing their conversation, and Morrigan was allowing his curiosity to show through.

"My dream?" Gourry pointed to himself in surprise. "Well, I suppose… I like to travel to new places, see new things, try new foods, that sort of thing… so I guess my dream is to travel all over the world!"

"That's a really lofty dream." Morrigan gasped. "The world is such a big place."

"It is, isn't it? But I suppose that's why it's a dream. Dreams aren't supposed to be easy."

"…yes…"

"Hey, Lina!" Gourry called over, catching the girls' attention. "What about you? What's your dream?"

"My dream? Money, of course!" Lina called back. "I'm going to become incredibly wealthy and powerful, making a name for myself all over the world!"

"See?" Gourry gestured toward Lina. "Her dream isn't something that can be accomplished right away either. Dreams take a lot of time and effort."

"Isn't Lina Inverse already known around the world…?"

"Yes, but I would like to expand my fame as well as my riches." Lina corrected. "I won't be satisfied until I've amassed a great fortune to rival royalty! That's my dream!"

"That seems a little greedy-"

"But it's a dream." Gourry didn't let Morrigan get very far with that train of thought. "Everyone should feel free to work toward a dream that brings them joy. If not, then what's the point?"

"…I suppose that's true…"

Lina turned to the woman beside her. "What about you, Meg? Do you have a dream?"

"Unfortunately, I don't think I have anything that could be considered such." Meg shook her head. "It's very boring, I know, especially with your and Gourry's lofty goals, but I'm taking life one day at a time right now."

Lina and Gourry glanced at one another. "Th-that's fine too! If that's what works for you, don't let people impose anything on you." Gourry assured her. "Your life is yours to live."

"I'm surprised, though." Morrigan broke in. "Is there really nothing you want to do, Meg? You're so intelligent and so talented, you could do anything. Ever since last year, when I started working at the Bureau of Investigation, you've been there to help me. You always know the details of paperwork, and you practically memorize every case, and you remember people's faces and names even when I don't-"

"Inspector, please…"

"-and look at us right now! I ran off into the wilderness, stupidly getting myself lost, and you managed to not only find Miss Lina and Mister Gourry, but you found me too! You're great!"

Lina glanced over at Meg, who was silent. "…how  _did_ you find us? Was it just luck?"

"Luck. Yes. I suppose you could call it that." Meg stammered.

"Could call it that? It  _was_  luck!" Gourry exclaimed. "If you hadn't found us, I don't want to think about what would've happened. It's a really good thing you did."

"…yes…"

"Meg, is something the matter?" Morrigan moved closer in concern. "You sound troubled. Did something happen?"

"No, I'm just stressed over everything that's going on." Meg waved her hands back and forth. "There's no need for you to worry about it too-"

"Unless there is." Lina broke in. The conversation stopped and everyone looked over at her. Meg's face paled as it became clear that the sorceress had caught on to the source of her unease. "The cabin we were staying in is well-hidden. You didn't just stumble across it, did you? Someone  _led_  you to us."

"…I was totally lost and soaked through from the rain… I might've died of exposure…" Meg whimpered.

"So you'd offer anything in return, huh? What did the Mazoku want? Obviously you weren't coerced into action, since you're here with us now instead of following Adelaide. Was it information they wanted? For you to tell them where we were going and what we were doing?"

"W-wait a minute!" Morrigan interrupted, grabbing hold of Lina's arm. "There's no way that Meg would work with a Mazoku! She knows better than that! Right, Meg? …Meg?" The man's voice fell as he saw her reaction. Her head was hung so that her hair fell over her face and her features were obscured. She spoke, but her voice was quiet and melancholy.

"…Mazoku prey on people who are all alone. That's how they control people. When you have no one… there's nothing you can say or do to defend yourself. You're at their mercy. I couldn't…"

"You couldn't refuse. I get it." Lina nodded her head. "It wasn't only your life at stake. If you died, no one would be able to find Morrigan. You had to place your and your friend's life over the lives of some people you hardly knew. Anyone in that situation would've done the same."

Morrigan took a wary step back. "Meg, you made a pact with Mazoku… just to save  _me_ …?"

"Forgive me." Meg still hadn't looked up. "I assumed that Miss Adelaide and the rest of your friends could handle themselves whether or not I told Abaddon their position. Princess Amelia and Prince Pokota are royalty, and Dr. Wilson always spoke so highly of Mr. Zelgadis… they can handle themselves, can't they?"

"Yeah, but so could I, and look what happened to me!" Gourry exclaimed. "They're going to need help! We have to go back!"

"If I use Raywing, I can be back at the chateau in a few minutes." Lina explained. "But I can't carry all three of you. Meg, Morrigan, can either of you use that spell?"

"If I could use a flight spell, do you think I'd be stranded out here?" Morrigan shot back.

"I can do it. I'll take care of Inspector Morrigan." Meg volunteered. "You and Gourry go help your friends."

Lina paused and stared at her. "Really?"

"Yes. Just go. I'm  _so_ sorry for everything."

"You can make it up to us later." Lina insisted, tossing a dismissive hand gesture in Meg's direction. "C'mon, Gourry. Let's go before the situation gets any worse. The chateau is probably swarming with Mazoku now that Abaddon knows we're coming."

Gourry nodded and followed along with her. He was too worried about his friends to let his fear of flight get the better of him. Abaddon had already put the group through enough trouble. He wasn't going to let anyone else get hurt.

* * *

"Adelaide! What do you think you're doing?!"

Pokota was the first to chase after the girl, as Amelia and Zelgadis were still on the defensive, trying to figure out what was happening. Adelaide saw Pokota, but tried to shoo him away.

"Get lost! I'm trying to lead that Mazoku  _away_ from you-  _ELMEKIA FLAME!_ " Her attack was aimed at the Mazoku that was trailing them, but Pokota had to be careful to dodge as well.

"What good is it going to do if you're all alone?" Pokota demanded. " _FREEZE ARROW!_ "

"I don't want any of you getting hurt!"

"And you don't care about yourself? Adelaide, you-"

" _RUNE FLARE!_ "

"Hey! Watch where you're aiming those spells!"

"You watch where you're going! The Mazoku is probably  _trying_ to get me to hit you!"

"I can see that- you don't have to tell me."

"Well, what are we supposed to do?!"

Pokota jumped over to Adelaide's shoulder and tugged her in the opposite direction. "Follow my lead. I have a plan."

Adelaide glanced over her shoulder uneasily, but acquiesced, trusting that Pokota had the experience necessary to figure out the situation. "I hope you know what you're doing…"


	26. Divide and Conquer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy.

**26- Divide and Conquer**

With only one arm to hang on, Gourry was clinging to Lina as tightly as he possibly could. He was grateful for her supportive grip- she was trying her best to make him feel safe, and he knew that she wouldn't dare let him fall- but he still hated being in the air.

"Say, Lina? I was thinking," he began, trying to distract himself from their position, "if Meg could use this same spell now, why did she have to rely on Abaddon to help her find us last night?"

"Huh?"

"I mean… couldn't she have found her way back to where she came from by herself? I know she wanted to find Inspector Morrigan and everything, but… am I missing something?"

"Well, this spell manipulates wind, so it's difficult to use in bad weather. But you're right- making a pact with Mazoku seems like a dangerous thing to do, especially the Mazoku who killed your lover. If Meg had the power to rescue herself, I don't see why she would've given in to Abaddon's pressure. Of course, it's entirely possible that they threatened her life if she didn't do what they said."

"She did steal the Sword of Light from them. Why didn't they kill her on the spot instead of making her do their dirty work?"

"That's a good question." Lina murmured. "You don't think that Meg has a prior connection with Abaddon, do you?"

"I don't know. She's always been so skittish, I never took her to be the sort of person who would work with Mazoku. But I wonder if it's her past experience with Mazoku that makes her so skittish." Gourry replied. He noticed that, in his distraction, he was letting his grip on Lina's shoulder loosen, and it momentarily terrified him. "B-but after what happened with Kent, I can't blame her for being scared of Abaddon. Can you?"

"No. But right now, we probably shouldn't worry about this sort of thing. Whatever her reasoning behind it, what's done is done. There's no changing it, so we just have to worry about helping our friends-  _ah!_ "

Lina changed direction abruptly, causing Gourry to yelp. He noticed, however, that they were descending and watched in relief as the ground drew steadily closer.

" _Zel! Amelia!_ " Lina called out as she and Gourry landed. Their two friends were a short distance away, Zelgadis busy tending to a wound on Amelia's leg. There were no Mazoku in sight, but from the looks of thing, there  _had_  been at least one. Amelia waved, calling out to them.

"Miss Lina! Mister Gourry! What are you doing here?"

"We heard that you guys were being ambushed and came as fast as we could." Lina replied, running over to Amelia to see what she could do to help. Zelgadis moved over a little to let Lina take a look at the situation, but when she did, she saw that he had taken care of everything. "Where are Adelaide and Pokota?"

"Miss Adelaide ran off to distract the Mazoku from us. I think she went on to the chateau. Mister Pokota followed her, and I tried to, but I had gotten caught up in the initial attack and couldn't."

"We wouldn't be any use to Adelaide and Pokota like this." Zelgadis added. "I decided to stay while I patched up Amelia's wounds and then the two of us could continue on to help."

"How did you two find out about this?" Amelia asked, sitting up straighter. "Where are Miss Meg and Inspector Morrigan?"

"Meg was the one who told the Mazoku our plans, wasn't she?" Zelgadis spoke before Lina or Gourry could answer.

" _What_?! That's-" Amelia was cut off by Lina and Gourry both nodding their heads in unison. "-that's… horrible."

"It was out of her own free will so far as we can tell, but she didn't seem happy about it. She was in a tough situation and had to make a difficult decision." Lina explained, taking Amelia's hand and helping the girl to her feet. "I really don't think she had any malicious intent. She was just doing what she had to in order to survive."

"Still, where does that leave us?" Zelgadis asked. "You can be as sympathetic as you want, but that won't stop me from being angry with her for it. Adelaide and Pokota could be getting hurt right now- we've got to do something!"

"Which way is the chateau?" Gourry asked, holding out his sword offensively. Lina had retrieved it from her astral pocket and handed it back to him, helping to steady his grip. It was unfortunate that he hadn't gotten any practice with it, but there wasn't time to worry about that now. "There's no reason that we need to stand around talking when we could be helping out."

"It should be just over that hill-" Amelia pointed out, already halfway to it. Zelgadis had clearly done a good job with her injury, the way that she was moving. "Miss Adelaide probably went to retrieve her father's sword."

"And the magic vessel, right?" Lina ran after Amelia. "Or did she decide against that?"

"We think she may have, but she never outright stated it." Zelgadis answered. "She seemed ambivalent toward the idea of retrieving it, going so far as to insist that she didn't know how to identify it."

"Which you're sure is not true?"

"Fairly sure, yes. She seemed so confident before, I can't imagine why she'd suddenly change her story. She may not want us to think her a capricious person, but when it's a big decision like this, there's no way that I could consider her as such."

"Perhaps not wanting to admit that you care for your friends is a trait that runs in Rezo's family." Lina shot a smirk in Zelgadis' direction.

"You're not funny, Lina."

"Who said I was being funny?"

"Now is not the time to argue or throw insults!" Amelia called to the pair. She and Gourry were already ahead of them and could see the house from their position on the hilltop. "Get moving, you two!"

" _Yes, Amelia_." Both Lina and Zelgadis answered in unison. Amelia was right and they both knew it. It was so easy to get sidetracked, but they both knew it wouldn't do them or their friends any good.

* * *

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? RUNNING OFF LIKE THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A CASE IS NOT ONLY A VIOLATION OF YOUR OATH AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENT, BUT IT'S ALSO EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED."

"…I know…" Morrigan hung his head in shame as he bore the brunt of Wizer's anger. It was well-deserved, he knew, and so he was facing it with no arguments. However, as much as he knew that what he did wasn't the proper course of action, he felt sure that he'd do it again if presented with the same situation. "…yes, sir. I understand. I apologize."

Wizer cleared his throat and turned to Meg. "Thank you for going to find him. I'm sorry it came to that."

"It's not a problem. As long as he's safe, I don't have any concerns." Meg shook her head. "I'm sorry that I couldn't stop him in the first place."

"Now, you know that he's not your responsibility-"

"Yes, I'm aware. But as his friend, I couldn't let him endanger himself like that."

"Listen! There's something even worse going on!" Morrigan waved his hands. "We need to-"

" _We_  won't be doing anything." Wizer interrupted. "For your sake, Inspector Morrigan, I feel it's best if you suspend your work on this case."

"W-wait… you're kicking me off the case…?" Morrigan wilted. "B-but Inspector Freion-"

"No 'buts.' This is for your own good." Wizer turned his back on the two of them. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some things I need to attend to. Meg, since you are so adamant about taking responsibility for Inspector Morrigan's well-being, I'll order you to stay here at the lodge and watch over him. Make sure that he doesn't leave this building."

"Yes sir." Meg bowed respectfully and reached out to grab Morrigan's arm and prevent him from running after Wizer. There was no point- they'd been given direct orders and those orders weren't going to budge.

"Meg, what are you doing?!" Morrigan tugged at Meg's grip on his arm. "You're the one who claims to know what Abaddon is capable of! Why are we just standing here letting Miss Lina and the others put themselves in danger?"

"Because they're not in danger. Not really."

"What are you talking about?"

"Unless, of course… they get in the way…" Meg's face clouded as she spoke. "…this is terrible. I wanted revenge, but not like this…"

"Terrible? What's terrible? What revenge? I don't understand!"

Meg turned and grabbed both of Morrigan's hands. "Listen to me. My agreement with Abaddon wasn't just to save my life from them. It was also to save me from Xellos- it's what  _Xellos_ wanted me to do."

"Xellos?" Morrigan pulled away, walking backwards as though he could distance himself from the situation that way. He wasn't looking where he was going, however, and toppled over into a chair. "Y-you mean  _that_  Xellos? The one who works for Lowell Enterprises and is a personal friend of Inspector Freion's? I thought he wanted to capture Lady Adelaide. What good would it be for him to turn her over to Abaddon?"

"Don't you get it? That's why Abaddon wants Adelaide dead! Xellos and his Mazoku colleagues are using Adelaide to hunt down and capture Abaddon. By giving Abaddon the information about Lady Adelaide's whereabouts, I allowed Abaddon a reason to gather, and gave Xellos his opportunity to hunt down as many members as possible at one time."

"Mazoku colleagues?" Morrigan pulled himself to an upright position, moving around so that he could sit in the chair comfortably. "Mister Xellos is working for Mazoku?"

"Xellos  _is_  a Mazoku!"

There was a tense silence before Morrigan was able to reply.

"…ah… that explains a lot, actually."

"I wasn't supposed to tell you- that is, Xellos threatened me into making sure you remained in the dark. He knows how upstanding you are and how much you strive to do what's right. He didn't want you interfering with his goal. But now that he's finally achieved it… there's no point in keeping secrets anymore."

Morrigan sighed and leaned against the back of the chair, staring at the ceiling. "So now what? Are we just supposed to sit here and order room service while a group of fellow humans get caught in the crossfire of a Mazoku conflict?"

"You would do well to stay here where it's safe. Miss Lina and the others can handle themselves." Meg replied, turning towards the door. "But I have a personal score to settle. I'm going to the chateau."

"HEY!"

Morrigan was on his feet in an instant and just barely managed to reach the door before her. "What are you thinking?! What kind of business would be so important that you'd risk your life for it?"

Meg didn't flinch. "Several years ago, Abaddon took something precious from me. Ever since I've been trying to avenge what I lost. I'm not going to allow Abaddon to be captured or destroyed without being there to witness it."

"Something precious…" Morrigan began, noticing Meg fidgeting with her hands. It was a gesture he was used to, as he watched her do it often, but this time he felt like the ring she wore stood out more than it had before. "…that's it, then… Abaddon killed someone precious to you… and you want revenge for that person…"

"I say that I'm seeking vengeance for Arthur's sake, but that's not true." Meg shook her head. "Even when he was dying, he was kind-hearted. In his final moments, he forgave his killer. Someone who died at peace with a smile on his face doesn't need avenging. But… I haven't forgiven myself. This isn't to avenge him, it's to avenge my freedom;  _my_  happiness- the happiness that Abaddon stole from me when I pledged obedience to them."

Morrigan tried to take a step back, but was reminded that he was standing with his back against the door. "…you know, I've been told that, when you hang onto the anger that comes from grief, you're only hurting yourself. Isn't there some way that you can forgive? If your lover forgave you for what you did to him, can't you-"

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Meg yelled, and stopped herself. "No. You  _do_. ButI have to see this through. I've carried this around for too long. I need closure."

"What you need is to talk this through with someone." Morrigan corrected. "You don't have to do this alone, Meg. You said it yourself- we're friends. I'm here for you."

"We are friends." Meg gave a nod. "That's why I can't allow you to be dragged down with me. Please, move. I don't want to hurt you."

"You don't want to-" Morrigan balked. "Y-you're serious."

" _Please_."

A long moment passed in which neither of them moved. They hardly dared to breathe, both waiting to see what the other was going to do- what the other would be willing to do. Finally, Morrigan sighed and stepped out of the way of the door.

"I'll stay here so that you don't get in trouble with Inspector Freion. But you have to promise to come back safely. Alright?"

Meg was silent.

"Alright?"

"I… can't promise any such thing."

"You  _have_  to! You have to promise! I won't let you go otherwise. I don't know what I'd do without you-"

"That's a lie. You do." Meg interrupted him and he stopped talking. He wasn't used to her cutting him off like this. She was usually so reserved, she had never talked over anyone, much less interrupted them and argued against them. But something about the situation had changed her demeanor. "You're young and naïve, but you're not stupid. You fight for what's right, even when the situation is tough. A powerful Mazoku was  _afraid_  of giving you information, for fear you'd do something to ruin his plans. Doesn't that say something about you? Max, you have to believe me. You  _can't throw away your future._ "

Morrigan felt his muscles tense up as the meaning of her words became clear. This wasn't just encouragement for the future. It was a farewell.

"You're going to die, aren't you? That's your goal."

Meg didn't respond.

* * *

" _WINDY SHIELD!_ "

"You'd think they'd hold back a little. This seems like overkill." Adelaide commented between firing attacks outside of the shield that Pokota had put up. It was impossible for him to fire offensive spells while maintaining the defensive barrier, but with the two of them together, one could worry about offense while the other worried about defense.

"They really want us dead." Pokota shot back, careful not to break concentration. "It makes sense."

" _DUG HAUT!"_ Adelaide cursed under her breath as her blurred vision and the Mazoku's quick retreat onto the astral plane caused her attack to miss its target. _"_ I can't see to aim in this thing."

"Would you rather be vulnerable to attacks, then?"

"Stop talking and focus on keeping up that shield-"

"-WATCH OUT!"

As powerful as the wind shield was, it was only of use against attacks that came from outside of it. But for Mazoku, who were not restricted to the physical plane, there was a way around that- firing an attack from inside the shield. The wind immediately dissipated as both Pokota and Adelaide scrambled to protect themselves against the threat that had suddenly become too close for comfort.

"Pokota-" Adelaide yelped, reaching out for her friend. Unfortunately, they weren't close enough, and her vision was suddenly obscured by a cloud of dust and debris from the walls that were beginning to collapse around them. Adelaide and Pokota had made it to the chateau and entered, knowing that there would likely be Mazoku waiting for them inside, but not knowing the extent of the situation. The sheer volume of Mazoku that had been waiting for them had caught them off-guard, and while Adelaide's White Magic attacks had been sufficient to take out or chase off most of them, that took a lot of energy, and she and Pokota were left vulnerable to the stronger Mazoku who were waiting for their prey to exhaust themselves. A shadowy figure loomed over Adelaide, and she readied an attack in her hand, but there wasn't time to fire it.

" _RA TILT!_ "

There was no mistaking that combination. Adelaide fell backwards, but managed to land in such a way that she didn't hurt herself. "Amelia! Zelgadis!"

"Are you alright, Miss Adelaide?" As soon as Adelaide became aware of what was going on, Amelia was by her side.

"I-I'm fine, thanks. What about Pokota? Where is he?"

"He's fighting some of those Mazoku in the next room with Lina and Gourry." Zelgadis replied. "We can take over from here. You should go upstairs and find that sword you're looking for. Once you have that, we can retreat… if we haven't gotten rid of these Mazoku already."

"Okay! Right!" Adelaide nodded her head quickly. " _Thank you_! Are you two really alright-?"

Zelgadis grabbed her shoulders and turned her in the direction of the others. "Just go. Don't worry about us."

"Miss Lina! Mister Gourry! You two go with Miss Adelaide and keep her safe!" Amelia called out. "Mister Pokota too- Zelgadis and I can handle these Mazoku down here."

"Are you sure?" Pokota wavered only momentarily before taking off after Lina and Gourry. There was no time to question anyone's orders with the way that things were. The four made their way to the staircase, Lina holding up the rear with a defensive spell to keep them covered.

From outside an exterior window, Xellos watched the chaos in delight, keeping count of how many members of Abaddon had fallen. He smiled brightly.

"Isn't it nice to have others to do your dirty work?"

* * *

Adelaide led the group down a hallway once they reached the top of the stairs, stopping to close the door behind them once they'd all gathered. "Th-there don't seem to be any Mazoku here, so we can stop for the moment."

"Where is your mother's sword collection?" Pokota asked.

"It's down the hallway, but I wanted to get us out of harm's way so that we can figure out a plan."

"Well, we seem to be doing well with you leading the way and Pokota and me acting as defense." Lina continued. "We should maybe keep doing what we're doing, and-"

"HEY!"

It was Gourry's voice that snapped everyone's attention away from the conversation. He had his sword drawn and was focused on the windowsill seat, behind the drawn curtains.

"Don't sit there and watch. If you've got business with us, say so outright!"

A vaguely feminine form materialized on the seat. Her appearance was humanoid as much as a high-level Mazoku's might be, but she didn't quite appear solid, as though she were made of a mist that would dissipate immediately if disturbed. "Ugh. It's  _you_ again." She twirled a tendril of hair around one finger. "After what happened last time, you're still willing to pick a fight?"

Lina stiffened as she recognized the voice. It was the Mazoku that Gourry had provoked before- the one who Lina was sure could've done much more damage than a mutilated arm if she had so desired.

"Are you  _planning_ to fight us? I don't care much for enemies who sit around and mock me." Gourry shoved his sword in the Mazoku's direction. "Plus I have a score to settle with you."

"Oh, that's right. Humans can't grow back their limbs like Mazoku can. Sorry about that."

"SHUT UP! YOU KNEW THAT!"

Lina grabbed a handful of fabric from the back of Gourry's shirt. " _Be careful what you say to her_." she hissed. " _Remember last time._ "

"OF COURSE I REMEMBER LAST TIME!  _LIKE HELL_  I COULD FORGET LAST TIME-"

"Shut up. No amount of negative emotions could make up for having to deal with such an annoying voice." The Mazoku massaged her temples in frustration. "I don't get paid enough to fight you guys. I oversee experiments. I'll let them do the hard part."

" _Them_?" Lina didn't have time to ask before her train of thought was completely cut off by a scream and a series of growls and barks. The group was suddenly surrounded by four or five- Lina couldn't tell, they moved so fast- doglike creatures that were snarling and leaping at each member of the group, claws and teeth bared. Adelaide was doing all she could to create defensive barriers to keep them off of her; she couldn't even think about attacking.

"Like them? They're lesser-demon chimeras with a dash of puppy in them. Watch out- they're still in the teething stage, so they'll sink their teeth into anything that moves. Have fun playing with them."

" _H-HEY!_ " The Mazoku disappeared before anyone could get in a word to her, and they were left to fend for themselves against the creatures. One bit down on the blade of Gourry's sword and stayed there, leaving him to shaking the weapon back and forth in a desperate attempt to get it away. Lina could see now that there were definitely five of them. One was attached to Gourry's sword, one was following Lina around, and the other three were all throwing themselves at Adelaide. The one chasing Lina grabbed a mouthful of her cape and tugged hard until the fabric began to rip.

" _No! Stop it!_ " Lina yelled, grabbing hold of the fabric and trying to wrench it from the chimera's powerful jaws. She was trying to see if it would respond to the normal commands a domesticated puppy might, but there was no such luck. Her words didn't distract it in the slightest- but suddenly something flew across its field of vision that did.

The chimera harassing Lina suddenly took off across the room in pursuit of the tiny, light-colored blur that had caught its attention. The ones attacking Adelaide took notice as well, and scrambled over to get a piece of the action. The one by Gourry's side seemed slow on the uptake, but soon it as well started chasing after the tiny animal that had so utterly enchanted them.

"They're… chasing Pokota?"


	27. Broken Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

**27- Broken Dreams**

"They're… chasing Pokota?"

The tiny animal had captured the chimeras' attention, and they were following him as he raced around the room.

"Demon chimeras or not, they're still puppies. Any small animal they see, they'll chase." Pokota called. "I can distract them while you guys go!"

"B-but Pokota-" Adelaide protested, but she didn't get very far.

"I'll be fine! Your safety is more important!"

"…Pokota…!" Adelaide had to be dragged away from the scene before she involved herself more than necessary. One of the chimeras caught hold of one of Pokota's ears and began tugging at it, causing small amounts of stuffing to burst out at the seams. "They're going to tear him apart!" Adelaide shrieked as Lina tugged her from the room and into the hallway.

"He'll be fine. As long as there's enough of that body for his soul to attach to, he won't die." Lina covered Adelaide's mouth with one hand, holding the girl still with the other. "You can sew him back together once this is all over and he'll be as good as new."

"But-"

"Some of us aren't so lucky." Gourry interjected. "I know you feel strongly about Pokota, but you've gotta trust us- trust  _him_  if no one else."

Adelaide nodded mutely, and Lina let go of her enough that she could point them in the right direction. "There's another way to get into the room with the sword collection." Adelaide instructed. "We can go around and enter from the back- follow me."

The group managed to make it out of the hallway without attracting any attention, but they could hear a ruckus coming from the floor below. It sounded like Amelia and Zelgadis were still struggling, which made the group all the more desperate to get out of the house in a timely manner. The room that Adelaide had led them into was a bedroom, and Lina first inspected it, making sure that there was nothing lying in wait to jump out at them. She moved from the bed to the dresser, eyeing the decorations critically.

"At least we know nothing with any sense of aesthetics would be hiding in that gods-awful vase." she murmured sagely. "Otherwise, I'd say we're safe for now."

"It's this door here," Adelaide spoke, walking across the room and turning the doorknob- or, she  _tried_ , anyway. "Huh?"

"It's locked?" Gourry gasped.

"I didn't even know this door locked at all. Maybe it's stuck on something." Adelaide continued to jiggle the handle back and forth. "It won't budge. We'll have to bust the door down or something-"

"I can handle that."

Gourry's quick and matter-of-fact reply gave Adelaide pause, and she stepped back to let him take over. He unsheathed his sword and took a step toward the door, then back, as though sizing it up.

"You sure you're up to this?" Lina asked in concern. "If it's too difficult, I can always blow the door down with a-"

The door crashed inward before she could even finish her sentence. Gourry placed his sword back in its sheath with a proud smile on his face. "Told you I could handle it."

Lina was pleased at the outcome, but not so much at the method. She gave a groan of resignation. "Just don't overexert yourself, okay? We'll go in, find the sword, and get out before there's any-"

The conversation cut off abruptly as the sound of a windowpane rattling caught all their attention. Gourry and Adelaide had their swords at the ready and Lina took on a defensive pose, but it was ultimately anticlimactic. They turned toward the window to see an all-too-familiar face.

Lina's shoulder's relaxed and she ran to the window to open it and let him in. "Inspector Morrigan?! What do you think you're doing? How'd you get up here- this is a second-story window!"

It took the sorceress' help for the young man to pull himself through the window and rest on the floor. "Th-the logs were uneven… I climbed up the side…" He was almost in tears and took a moment to examine his hands, which were cut up and bloody in places. "…s-so many splinters…"

"What are you doing here?" Gourry asked. "I thought you and Meg were going to-"

"MEG! Have you seen her?" Forgetting about his splinters for the moment, Morrigan jumped to his feet. "Please tell me you've seen her! I'm so worried-"

"We haven't seen anyone except for Mazoku." Lina interrupted. "Which, there's been a  _lot_  of, so we can't waste time chatting."

"But you don't understand!" Morrigan grabbed hold of Lina's cape, wincing slightly as the rough fabric made contact with the cuts on his hands. "She's going to kill herself! I can't just do nothing- she's my friend, after all."

"Kill herself? What do you mean?" Adelaide asked. "You don't mean, like,  _actually_  kill herself, do you?"

"I don't know." Morrigan took a step back to give the others some space. He spoke his sentences in between pulling splinters out of his hands with his teeth. "We were told to stay where we were and let the other members of the team handle it, but she ran off, saying something about revenge-"

"For Arthur. I see." Lina murmured.

"Arthur? Is he the one she murdered?"

"Wait, what?"

"She…" Morrigan paused to dig at a particularly stubborn- and large- splinter, grimacing in pain as he pulled it out and tossed it to the floor. "…from what I could tell, it sounded like there was someone she loved a long time ago who she was blackmailed or forced into murdering for whatever reason. Obviously no one found out, since she has a squeaky-clean record and all, but she's really hurting."

There was a period of silence. Lina glanced uneasily over at Gourry. His expression was hard to read, a serious change from his usually open demeanor. He eventually spoke up, but when he did, it was directed at Lina rather than Morrigan.

"Didn't Meg say to us that Abaddon manipulates both humans and Mazoku into doing their bidding? I remember that clearly… I didn't realize it at the time, but what if she was talking from firsthand knowledge? What if Abaddon was controlling her, and that's how she got close enough to steal the Sword of Light?"

"…that Mazoku did say that the assassin failed several times in killing Arthur. What if she didn't really fail, she just  _chose_  not to kill her target?"

"Wait, wait!" Adelaide called. "I thought Meg and Arthur were engaged! You think that Abaddon would have manipulated someone into killing her own fiancé?"

Lina didn't get a chance to answer. Morrigan yelped loudly, catching everyone off-guard. A figure had materialized behind him, grabbing hold of him and covering his mouth to cut him off. It made sense- a Mazoku that hated putting effort into anything would choose to take hostage the one person who wasn't armed.

"None of you humans move- I can't have you running off on us again. Do you realize how much trouble you almost got me in?"

"More trouble than you've put  _us_  in?" Gourry snarled, reaching for his sword. Lina stopped him, however, stepping in between him and the Mazoku.

"I suppose your superiors wouldn't be happy with you if you allowed your target to escape. You seem to be a Mazoku who dislikes doing unnecessary work- a Mazoku willing to reason with us. How about we work out a little trade?"

"A trade?" The Mazoku's grip on Morrigan loosened a little, and he started squirming. "I'm listening- keep talking."

Adelaide and Gourry both resisted the urge to ask Lina what she was doing. They both figured that she wouldn't make a deal with a Mazoku unless she was laying some sort of trap for it, but they couldn't figure out what that might be in a situation like this. Their friends were fighting to help them in the meantime, and there wasn't much time to waste with negotiations.

"That human isn't involved in all this. He's just a bystander. You'd gain nothing by killing him."

"Sh-she's right!" Morrigan's voice was muffled through the Mazoku's physical form. "Don't hurt me, please-"

"Why not let him go?" Lina continued. "Then we can-"

" _Catrin, Rene, stop!_ "

The room fell deathly quiet at the sound of the voice. The names were unfamiliar to Lina, but they seemed to give the Mazoku pause. Another figure materialized over Adelaide's head, and she screamed in response, partially out of surprise to see it and partially in fear of how close it had been to engulfing her. Lina noted the exchange with frustration- they had assumed that the Mazoku holding Morrigan captive was the only one in the room and almost paid dearly for it.

"Meg!" Morrigan coughed as the Mazoku released him. He fell to the floor but immediately tried to reach out in his friend's direction.

"What do you think you're doing here?" The two Mazoku slunk over to where Meg was standing in the doorway, drawing themselves up so that they were taller than she was and looming over her. "I thought you were given pardon from your previous insubordination by giving us this tip. You were told to stay out of the conflict- has something changed?"

"Yes." Meg nodded. "I have a request."

"If you're just here to waste our time, I have a better idea-" One of the Mazoku- Lina had lost track of which one was which- grabbed the woman by the neck, holding her against the wall. Morrigan called out, but Lina was too distracted by the opportunity that Meg was clearly giving them.

" _Adelaide!_ " Lina hissed quietly, gesturing the girl toward the door. Adelaide nodded and ran toward the room, only to be cut off.

"And where do you think  _you're_ going?" Before she realized what was going on, Adelaide found herself under restraints and struggling just to breathe. A pounding in her ears blocked out most of the sound, but she could hear muffled yells and spells being thrown… were they in her direction?

Lina, on the other hand, found herself in the midst of a sensory overload. Meg was yelling and struggling, and Morrigan was going after her. Apparently he could throw simple  _Fireball_ spells, and that's exactly what he was doing. Meanwhile, Gourry was going after Adelaide, trying to do what he could with just a sword… which wasn't much, and the Mazoku seemed utterly unfazed by the swordsman's sloppy, off-balance techniques.

Unable to figure out where her attention needed to be focused, Lina did the only thing she could manage.

" _BURST RONDO!_ "

The loud explosion and crackling of the magical flames brought everything in the room to a standstill. The perfect diversion spell, it hadn't been aimed at anyone and hadn't caused any damage, but it was enough to make even the Mazoku pause to take notice.

Adelaide fell to the floor and felt the Mazoku pass over her as it moved to combat the source of the confusion. Eagerly taking advantage of the opportunity to slip unnoticed through the doorway, she left the Mazoku situation in Lina and Gourry's hands, knowing that they'd be able to handle whatever happened.

Lina cleared her throat, holding up a magical barrier to keep any of the Mazoku from getting to her immediately. "Why don't we take a break and listen to what Meg has to say? Meg, you're an associate of Abaddon, aren't you?"

"She  _was-_ " one of the Mazoku began, but Lina cut them off.

"Let her talk. You've got some nerve, cutting off a former associate like that."

Unfortunately for the civility of the conversation, Meg began to cry, and her words became less and less understandable. "I'm so sorry… Gourry, Miss Lina… I don't deserve the kindness you've shown me… I've betrayed you, along with everyone I've ever loved… and I… I can't…" She was on her knees, and so she slowly pulled herself to her feet. "I can't live with myself! Abaddon is something I'll never be able to get away from; never be able to escape from. I'll never be free to live my own life. So please- won't you hear me out?" She stopped and turned to the Mazoku. "If these humans kill me, they'll have done you a favor. Abaddon has wanted me dead since the Sword of Light incident. You'll be in their debt- you'll have to promise that you won't hurt them."

Lina was completely against the idea, but she was ready to bluff in order to buy time. Unfortunately, before she could begin speaking, Morrigan and Gourry were already yelling their opinions on the idea.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT; THERE'S NO WAY-" "You're joking, right? Of course we wouldn't do that!"

"Calm down, you two." Lina stepped in-between the two groups. "She's serious and we need to respect that."

"But she-"

There was no time for Morrigan to finish his sentence. Lina had put herself in harm's way on purpose, expecting one of the Mazoku to jump out at her. She hadn't expected both of them, but they were so in sync that it only made the situation easier for Lina. Her sharp reflexes afforded her the advantage that she needed, especially when neither Mazoku expected her to react so quickly.

" _Elmekia lance!_ "

There was a yelp from both of the Mazoku. They weren't destroyed, but they were injured, and it took them a moment to recover.

By the time they had, it was already too late.

* * *

Zelgadis and Amelia were taking turns addressing each other's wounds. A  _recovery_ spell could only do so much at one time, so once they'd stopped most of the bleeding, the started choosing their targets by "what hurts the most?" Despite the calmness of the situation, there was an aura of darkness that seemed to linger in the corners of the room.

"It's probably not a good idea for us to get too comfortable." Zelgadis warned. "I doubt that we actually destroyed most of those Mazoku. They're probably lying in wait to recover and attack us again."

"Oh, come on." Amelia teased. "What Mazoku could survive the double  _Ra Tilt_ of Justice?"

"Is that what we're calling it now? I didn't realize."

They were quiet for a moment as Amelia put her focus into another  _recovery_  spell to address a gash on Zelgadis' arm. The sound of people running about and firing spells on upper floors made them too uneasy to hold a pleasant conversation.

"…should we go up to help them?" Amelia asked, leaning back to examine how effective her spell had been. Zelgadis shook his head in reply.

"If we did that, we'd be leading whatever Mazoku are still targeting us right to Adelaide. It's better to prevent that from happening. We need to stay on alert right here."

Amelia nodded sadly. "I just… wish there was more we could do to help."

"I'm worried too, but I trust that they can take care of themselves. And after all that you've done, I don't think your efforts leave anything to be desired."

Amelia gave him a bright smile.

* * *

Adelaide stumbled into the room, hearing the explosion of Lina's spell ensuing behind her. What she arrived to see, however, horrified her.

She couldn't even speak- there wasn't anything to say. It was as though an armory had sustained an attack, with bits and pieces of blades lying around. Practically all of the swords that Marquess Gioconda had spent her life collecting were now shattered and destroyed. Each sword- each conquest- was now nothing more than rubble.

Adelaide frantically began searching, praying that somehow her father's sword had survived the attack. It didn't make sense; when Zelgadis and Amelia had explored the room several days ago, they had returned claiming that all the swords were intact. The destruction must have been created between now and then.

The sight of a familiar hilt caught her eye, and she pulled it out of the pile to examine the damage. The hilt itself had escaped mostly unscathed, with some of the gilding chipped away, but the blade was broken off almost entirely.

In hindsight, Adelaide figured that she should have expected as much, but tears began to sting at her eyes anyway. "…this is all I wanted… everyone's getting hurt because of me… and now…" A waved of guilt ran through her; she suddenly felt as though she didn't have the energy to stand up. Had she known this would happen, she could've simply let it go. They could've gone ahead to Seyruun and avoided the ambush. There was no need for everyone to suffer like they were doing now, and-

"Tragic, isn't it?"

The sound of another voice made Adelaide scramble into a seated position. She hugged the hilt to her chest and turned to look at its source, who waved one hand at her dismissively.

"Oh, don't worry about me. I'm a friend." The man gave a smile, however unconvincing it might have been. "I remember watching Miss Gioconda acquire some of these. Her brutality knew no bounds. It's quite a shame that all her work and the work of her conquests now amounts to nothing."

"Your… walking stick…" Adelaide pointed. "That's the same as-"

"This?" Xellos held out the staff for her to get a better look at. "Oh yes, I did loan this to a friend of mine when I sent him to look after you. It wasn't safe for a human like him to be walking around without an escort, especially one who's on such bad terms with the Mazoku in general."

Adelaide stared at him, wide-eyed. "…who are you?"

"I think the better question is, were you looking for this?" He reached into his bag and pulled out the one item from the room that hadn't been shattered- a thin, unassuming porcelain flower vase.

"How did you find that?"

"A tip from a friend." Xellos replied. "My pal you mentioned earlier had been doing a lot of research on this before one of his assistants sold out to your mother. He never let that go, poor man, and it ruined his relationship with her and her family by extension. It was a shame; he was so friendly with Rezo's other child and grandchild, I'm sure he could've helped you. Ah, but that's neither here nor there, is it?"

"I don't want that." Adelaide stated firmly. "I've already made the decision."

"You have? That's a shame." Xellos handed the vase to her anyway. "There's so much you could do with the concentrated White Magic contained in that vessel. Weren't you just crying over a broken sword? You could restore  _all_ the swords in this room to be like new. I'm sure your friends fighting downstairs have sustained injuries that are nothing to laugh at- perhaps you could help them out? Don't you have a swordsman friend next door who could use a hand, literally?" He smirked as though he'd been waiting especially to make that joke. "And unless you know a good seamstress, there probably won't be an salvaging that poor stuffed toy down the hall."

Adelaide clutched the vase tightly, staring at it in awe. "This thing can…"

"It's your choice." Xellos offered, but when Adelaide turned to look at him, he'd disappeared.

With the vase still in hand, Adelaide stood up, approaching the nearby table to think it over. "Honestly… I don't care anymore about my cure… I don't care anymore about the sword… my friends are suffering, and all for my sake… I can't let them throw their lives away just for me… I don't know what else to do…" With tears in her eyes, she raised the vase up over her head. " _I want you to change everything back to the way it's supposed to be!_ "

With that, she brought the vase down onto the table, shattering it and scattering its contents. The last thing she remembered was seeing the soft, blue design falling through her field of vision as the pieces broke away before everything faded to black.


	28. The Road Ahead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Thank you so much for sticking around through everything so far, and I hope you enjoy. (Give the message at the end of the chapter a read too, while you're here. Thanks.)

**28- The Road Ahead**

Lina pulled herself into a seated position, rubbing her eyes in confusion. The pounding in her head made it difficult to tell what was going on. She remembered hitting the two Mazoku with a powerful White Magic spell, and then being just about to finish them off when everything went black and… had she passed out? Suddenly alert, she pulled herself to her feet, examining her surroundings. The room looked completely different- that is, if they were even in the same room as before. The peeling wallpaper was the same pattern, but it was now spotless, just like new. The curtains were no longer moth-eaten and dingy, but had been restored to a beautiful cream color. The ceiling molding had been repaired, and painted with gold and blue. The room's décor was suddenly so appealing, Lina forgot for a moment that they were still in the same house.

Well… except for that hideous vase. That was definitely the same.

A glance over the carpet reacquainted Lina with the situation. Meg and Morrigan were still unconscious, but it looked as though Gourry were awake. Lina couldn't see his face, however. He was doubled over, clutching his sides as though in pain.

"Gourry? Are you okay?" Lina stepped closer and leaned over him. He didn't lift his head when he answered, but she could hear his expression in his voice.

"…I… think I'm going to be sick…"

He'd said "I think," but Lina could tell from his voice that there wasn't any uncertainty in the statement at all. She grabbed the ugly vase from the desk and handed it to him, figuring that it would work perfectly for the situation and would save the nice carpet. The instinct to help Gourry had been so strong recently, Lina immediately knelt down and pulled his hair away from his face as he dealt with an unpleasant reminder of their breakfast that morning. She noticed, however, that he was clutching the vase with both hands, and couldn't help expressing surprise.

"…what the hell happened…?!"

" _That's what I'd like to know_." Gourry muttered weakly, lifting his head to look at her. His face was flushed, and Lina let go of a few strands of hair, removing her glove so that she could press the back of her hand to his forehead.

"You're feverish."

"Good to know." He barely had a chance to respond before his attention was pulled away by another bout of nausea. Lina kept a hold on his hair, but glanced around to get a better picture of what was going on. She didn't feel the presence of any Mazoku, but she couldn't imagine that they would've disappeared so easily. Meg and Morrigan were beginning to wake up- perhaps one of them might know something.

"Oh no,  _Gourry!_ Are you alright?!"

Well, Meg seemed confused enough.

"I've been better…" Gourry murmured, sitting up and wiping his mouth with a handkerchief that Lina had offered him. His right hand still had the glove he'd been wearing, but his left hand was bare. "…of course, I've been worse too. Did I… have a dream that a Mazoku sliced my arm off, or did that actually happen?"

"If it was a dream, I had it too." Lina answered. "Only, in mine, the Mazoku just damaged your arm and then we had to amputate it ourselves."

"Yeah, that's what I meant. Did we have the same dream?"

"…this room…" Meg wasn't paying much attention to Lina and Gourry's conversation anymore. "…it looks just like it did when I was working here with Arthur- no, it looks even better. The wallpaper, curtains, furniture… it's all practically new. I wonder if this has anything to do with the restoration magic that Dr. Wilson was inves-"

"MEG, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Morrigan practically tackled her, cutting off her train of thought. "HOW COULD YOU ASK US TO-"

"Hey, be quiet." Lina snapped, cutting them off. "We don't know what happened to the Mazoku. What if they're still here?"

"Restoration magic is a powerfully concentrated form of white magic. If enough was released to do this to the room, it would've completely neutralized any miasma in the area. If those two Mazoku hadn't gotten out of the way, then they'd have been…" Meg's voice trailed off.

Lina pouted. "Aw, man! I was gonna finish them off! No fair!" She didn't even realize that she was jerking on Gourry's hair until he gave a pained yelp.

" _Lina_!"

"Oops." She sheepishly released his hair and moved to give him some space. "Sorry about that. Has your stomach settled?"

"A little," he answered, his voice still weak. "at the price of most of my breakfast."

"I don't get it- did the magic do that?  _I'm_ not sick." Lina glanced around warily. "Is it something to do with his arm, or…?"

"Your arm!" Meg gasped, pulling herself from Morrigan's grip and rushing to Gourry's side. She took hold of his left arm, examining it curiously.

"Ow, ow." Gourry cringed. "That hurts!"

"I think get it." Lina murmured, watching Meg adjusting her grip to alleviate some of Gourry's pain. "The magic physically altered everything in the room. But Gourry's injury wasn't just physical, so even though his physical body has been restored, his mind is rejecting the changes."

Gourry whimpered. "That's not fair…"

Morrigan had sat next to Meg and Gourry, and he tugged at the woman's sleeve. "Meg, are you really alright? Please,  _please_  don't put yourself in danger like that. No matter what happened, no matter how those Mazoku manipulated you, we're still your friends, and you  _can't-_ "

"You guys work things out on your own. I'm going to make sure that everyone else is okay." Lina stood up, content to leave Gourry in the others' care for now, but he was obviously beginning to feel better, because he pulled himself to his feet to follow after her.

"I'm coming with you." He was clearly unsteady on his feet, but his resolved allowed him to keep his balance. "We can go find Pokota- Meg, you guys see if Adelaide is still in the next room, okay?"

Lina couldn't even wait to hear their reply- she had to run after Gourry to steady him and keep him from falling and hitting his head on the doorframe.

"You're really not okay." she insisted as she helped him into the hallway.

"I'm alright; just a little dizzy and off-balance. I was finally getting used to the way things were before." Gourry shrugged his shoulders and pointed at the door they had come from earlier. "Pokota was in there, I think-"

"- _et go of me! That hurts! Hey!_ "

The sound of the prince's voice, clearly indicating a struggle, caught Lina and Gourry's attention. Gourry was faster, and shoved the door open first. He had drawn his sword, instinctively returning to his usual technique. "Pokota!"

The scene that met Lina and Gourry was not one they'd expected. Lina was the first to speak- or squeal, rather- her voice breaking into a shrill upper register. The sound that she made wasn't intelligible, but it captured the puppies' attention, and four of the five left Pokota to stumble over to the new humans who'd entered the room. Lina knelt down at scooped one up in her arms while the other three sniffed and pawed curiously at her boots.

" _Hello! Hello there, puppy._ " Lina cooed, cradling the animal in one arm while stroking it with the other. From what she could tell, they were some sort of retriever mix, and couldn't be more than a few weeks old. Gourry, meanwhile, went to where Pokota was left covered in puppy saliva, with one still tugging on his ear.

"Pokota! You're in one piece!" Gourry observed happily, picking up the stuffed animal and trying to tug his ear away from the puppy with gentle admonishments. "No. Let go. This is my friend- no more biting. Okay? I said let go-"

Pokota's ear broke away from the puppy's grasp, and it fell over backwards. Lina gasped and ran over to where the puppy was struggling to right itself. "Gourry, how could you?!"

"Thanks a lot for caring about your friend." Pokota tossed a sarcastic comment her way before turning his attention to Gourry. "I appreciate your help, Gourry. I'm just as surprised- I was sure that this body would be nothing but threads and loose stuffing by the time those chimeras got done with it. But somehow I blacked out, and when I came to, I was in a totally different room, with puppies gnawing at me. Where are we, anyway?"

"It's the same room." Lina answered, now holding a puppy in each arm. "It's just been restored to a former state of repair- the same as you and Gourry… and these puppies, I guess."

"B-but how?"

"You think we have a clue?  _Restoration magic_  was what Meg called it- a difference from that  _regression magic_  that Zelgadis and Adelaide had talked about-" Lina stopped abruptly as she registered her friends' names. "Zelgadis! Adelaide! What happened to them? If this magic has the power to change puppy-chimeras back to normal, what would it do to human-chimeras?"

"We can go find out. I'm sure Adelaide is speaking with Meg and Inspector Morrigan in the next room." Now that Gourry had both arms, he was able to safely carry the remaining three puppies with him. "They can probably help us figure out what to do with these puppies too."

"Uh, that should be obvious." Lina shot back. "You and I are keeping all of them."

"I love dogs, Lina, but five puppies at once is a little extreme, don't you thi-"

Lina fired a glare at him. " _All of them_."

Gourry rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"We'll discuss this later."

* * *

"-I know; I haven't seen anything like it either. The house was never this beautiful, even when I was here with my mother a few years ago. It's like a completely different place."

Adelaide was leading both the conversation and the group as they made their way down the stairs to the main floor of the house. She was contentedly clutching her father's sword- whole and polished as though it were brand new. Lina, in the meantime, had been rummaging through her belongings with a sense of excitement as she noticed how nicely restored all of her books were. Some had contained water damage or missing pages that made certain spells unreadable, and Lina looked forward to filling in the blanks… later. At the moment, she was too busy fawning over her and Gourry's new dogs.

The sound of a conversation between several people caught their attention, and following the voices led them to a beautifully-furnished dining room where Zelgadis and Amelia were chatting with an older man. He was unfamiliar to Lina, Gourry, and Pokota, but the rest of the group seemed to recognize him.

"Dr. Wilson!" Meg called, waving and rushing toward the group. "What are you doing here? I didn't realize you were working on the case."

"I wasn't really," the man answered with a smile and a shake of his head. "I was just worried about all you young people getting caught in the crossfire, so I asked an old friend if I could be of service."

"Y-you're…" Adelaide gasped, running to step between Meg and the man. "You're that hiker…"

"Excuse me?" Dr. Wilson looked at her for a moment before laughing to himself. "I wouldn't say that. If I were twenty years younger, maybe. I just happened to be out for a stroll and our paths crossed. You believe that, don't you?" The last sentence was accompanied by a wink, and Adelaide caught the message.

"…ah."

Meanwhile, Lina and Gourry were more interested in Zelgadis' situation. There was, of course, the expected outbursts- yelling back and forth, feigning unfamiliarity, and other such banter. After the excitement was vented, everyone had to pause a moment to breathe. Lina wanted to tease Zelgadis some more, but Gourry interjected with compliments before she could do so.

"Honestly, you look really good! I mean, not that you didn't look good before, but now you look a different kind of good…"

"You're very kind, Gourry." Zelgadis smiled. "If I'm not mistaken, you look a little different than when we last saw each other. I've never seen magic work that way- how's your arm?"

Gourry averted his gaze sheepishly. "Not so good. My shoulder hurts like hell, I'm sick and dizzy, and I'm off-balance all over again. I don't feel any better emotion-wise either, so I probably still have a long way to go before I'll really be back to normal."

"That's understandable. Magic can do lots of things, but there are some things it can't fix, and other times it can make things worse."

"You know what  _does_  help with emotional trauma?" Lina interjected. "Having a pet. For the sake of your health, Gourry, we  _need_  five dogs."

"Where did you get these?" Amelia asked, reaching out to take one of the puppies from Gourry, who gratefully handed it over. He handed one to Zelgadis too, who seemed to relish the sensation of his skin again the soft fur.

"Ah, long story. We'll tell you later." Lina responded. "We want to know more about the current situation. Are the Mazoku really all gone?"

"We believe so. Dr. Wilson has been in touch with some people in the Ruvinigald Bureau of Investigation." Amelia spoke up. "He said that, with the Mazoku threat mostly negated, it would be safe to accompany Miss Adelaide to Seyruun, where she can seek refuge until everything clears up and her name is removed of all guilt."

"Abaddon definitely hasn't been eradicated, but they've been severely wounded to the point that it'll probably be easy for Xellos and his cronies to pick the remaining members off one by one. There's still a lot of digging to do into the extent of their experiments and the effects those have had on humans, but that's something that I don't think we have time to focus on in the immediate future. There will be others to attend to it."

"If you ask me, I smell the potential for a future adventure." Lina aimed her comment at Gourry, and he eagerly nodded. Amelia giggled and shifted the weight of the puppy she was holding so that she could give Zelgadis a one-armed hug.

"There's no doubt that there will be a lot for us to do once we get back to Ruvinigald." Meg jumped into their conversation abruptly. "There are so many loose ends and things that need patching up."

"I'm, uh, kinda  _wanted_  in Ruvinigald, so I won't be going back there until the dust settles." Lina replied. "I expect the charges to be dropped when Adelaide's name is officially cleared, 'kay?"

Meg shrugged. "I have no authority in that matter, but I'll do what I can."

"Taforashia and Seyruun are probably in turmoil as well." Pokota sighed sadly. "This situation is going to take a  _lot_  of explaining, and if enough information isn't made public, there may be backlash. We have to prepare for that."

Lina made a show of yawning. "Sounds like a lot of boring stuff to me. I'd be content not to know the details."

"You do have that luxury, don't you? Must be nice." Zelgadis muttered, though it was hard for him to say anything dark with Amelia clinging to one of his arms and a puppy cradled in the other.

"Despite all the terror and confusion, it seems like things have calmed down for the time being." Gourry commented contentedly and gave a nod toward Amelia and Zelgadis. "You two seem to be as inseparable as usual."

The puppy Zelgadis was holding had climbed up to his shoulder and was licking the side of his face, which made it hard for him to give a proper shrug. "I lost a bet" was his only response.

Perhaps it was the effect of the animals on him, but Lina could swear that she'd never heard anyone so happy to say that.

* * *

"Lucan, down. Paws off the table."

Lina's friends watched in amusement as she wrestled an enormous golden retriever puppy off the table and away from her food. It seemed almost futile- as soon as she got him onto the floor, he'd pop up onto the tabletop again, his eyes set firmly on Lina's meatloaf. Eventually, she cut a piece off for him and held it up over his head. "Is this what you want?" He sat obediently, his tail wagging. She dropped the piece of meat and he scarfed it up before immediately curling up at her feet with a content sigh. "Sorry about that, Amelia." Lina apologized. "Where were you, again?"

"The invitations." Amelia couldn't help but smile at her friends' pet troubles. It was amusing to think that the last time she'd seen the puppy, he'd been small enough to fit in her arms. Time was passing faster than she could keep track of. "We won't be sending out the formal invitations for another few weeks, but we weren't sure what your and Gourry's plans were, so we wanted to give them to you now."

"Ooh! Do Pokota and I get early invites too?" Adelaide raised her hand eagerly. "As the cousin of the groom, I should get special privileges-"

"You have a permanent mailing address." Zelgadis reached over and lowered Adelaide's hand. "And you have a privilege as visiting nobility. Don't push it."

"I'm just really excited for you guys!" Pokota gave them an enthusiastic smile. "This is going to be really great, not just for you two but for Seyruun."

"And it's not half bad for Ruvinigald, considering Zelgadis' employment situation." Adelaide spoke before taking a few cautious sips of her coffee.

"Are you continuing your work with Ruvinigald, then?" Gourry asked, taking a bite of a cookie and then offering the other half to the dog under the table.

Zelgadis nodded. "I've begun some research with Dr. Wilson that I really want to see through. I've received word that one of the officials with Seyruun's National Archives is planning to retire at the end of next year, and that Dr. Wilson's recommendations have made me a top candidate for the open position should I choose to apply, but that's still a long way off."

"So you're planning to work a long-distance marriage?" Lina asked.

"For a year or so until I can find a position in Seyruun, yes." Zelgadis answered. "It's not much different than how things have been lately- that's just the reality of it."

Pokota gave a nod of agreement. "We can't all be restless vagabonds for a living, Lina."

Lina responded with a pout and turned her attention to letting the dog at her feet lick the crumbs off her now-empty plate.

"Speaking of which," Amelia began, handing off her own finished plate to a waiter who'd stopped by to help clear the table. "what about you two? I assumed you were engaged from the way you spoke the last time we saw one another. When are we getting an invitation to your wedding?"

"Oh, us?" Lina and Gourry glanced at one another with sheepish smiles. Lina continued speaking, bowing her head apologetically. "We, uh, already got married. It was at a small village a few weeks back, just the two of us and a priest… and Lucan as our witness."

"The priest guy was really old. I'm not even sure the certificate is valid." Gourry observed with a shrug. "But I don't think that matters all that much."

"A certificate is a certificate, Gourry. Don't think so negatively about things!" Lina gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "You've been getting so much better lately."

"That's so disappointing. I wanted to be there!" Amelia whined. "I know I should congratulate you two, but-"

"It's so like you, though," Adelaide interrupted. "to do something like that on a whim with no plans or worries. I thing suits the two of you just fine."

"It definitely sums up their relationship." Pokota agreed.

There was a moment of quiet at the table, each member of the group listening to the background noise of the restaurant and the repetitive sound of the dog's tail hitting the legs of Lina's chair as it wagged back and forth.

"Still, it seems a little rushed, even for you two." Zelgadis' coffee mug barely hid his teasing smirk. "So when's the baby due?"

"July." Lina answered with such casual certainty that Zelgadis choked and had to take a moment to recover from his coughing spell while Lina laughed in amusement. "Hah! Serves you right for making fun of us."

"You got me." Zelgadis sighed, daubing at his mouth with his napkin. "I genuinely believed you for a second there."

"You don't have to worry." Gourry assured him. "With a puppy this size on our hands, there's no way we could even  _think_ about taking care of a human child. Lina, do you remember when you wanted  _five puppies_?"

"Don't remind me." Lina groaned. "Let's just be thankful you talked me out of it."

"If he's that much trouble, Meg could take him." Adelaide offered. "She was able to find homes for the other four, so I'm sure she could-"

" _NO!_ " The reply came from Lina and Gourry in unison. Lucan's head shot up and he moved to put his head in Lina's lap with a low whine.

"W-we said that it was a lot of work, but we didn't say it wasn't worth it." Gourry assured them.

Lina, meanwhile, had leaned forward to lavish attention on her puppy. "Don't worry, sweetie. Mama won't let anyone take you away- I promise."

The dog was oblivious to the subject of the conversation, but he was excited for the sudden attention and enthusiastically licked Lina's face.

The rest of the table exchanged smiles with only a hint of exasperation. "You can't say they won't be good parents." Pokota muttered.

"Speaking of Meg," Zelgadis cleared his throat. "what's she doing? Last time I went by the Bureau of Investigation to pick up some records, Inspector Morrigan told me that she wasn't working there anymore. I was going to ask him about her new job, but I didn't have time."

"Oh, that's right." Adelaide gasped. "I forgot to tell you- she asked me to invite you all to visit her at the library in Ruvinigald sometime soon. She recently got a job there doing secretarial work and she really loves it- says she's made lots of friends too. She also said that she's been seeing a therapist regularly, and it's helping her outlook… she asked about Gourry, by the way."

"Me? I'm fine. Lina's taken me to several different doctors, but I haven't been happy with any one of them, so we're still looking. I'm so glad Meg is okay." Gourry spoke up, absentmindedly petting the puppy who'd come to seek his attention once Lina had returned to her dessert. "No matter what she believed before, I think the greatest revenge she could ever get on Abaddon is for her to live a happy, successful life."

"I agree." Adelaide responded. "I feel that way about my mother. No matter what, I'm going to do my best to be the kind of noblewoman that she wasn't, and help the people of Ruvinigald in any way that I can."

"I think I overheard a diplomat say something recently about a treaty between Taforashia and Ruvinigald. Is that true?" Amelia asked.

"We've been trying to keep it under wraps until everything is settled to avoid wild speculation, but yes, we're working something out." Pokota replied. "After all the distrust there's been between the two recently, we can't be too careful. Hopefully it'll all be worked out by the time we attend your wedding, but… you know how these diplomatic things can be."

"I understand, trust me." Amelia laughed.

"While you're doing diplomacy stuff," Lina interrupted, "can you put in a good word for me with Zoana? I think I'm still wanted there for the 'treasonous' act of ruining the prince's birthday party."

"I can try my best, but talking about you with government leaders is tough." Pokota responded. "Your reputation tends to precede you."

"Ah, well," Lina shrugged with a proud smile. "that's just how I like it anyway."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone who's read the story. Whether or not you enjoyed it, you were willing to follow along to the end, and for that, I'm grateful. This story has carried me through some very tough times; I've faced some major life challenges and come through them with a better understanding of myself and my own health. While my relationship with this story has ended on a rather sour note, it has been a constant through everything these past months and I'm proud of how far it has come. I'm satisfied with the conclusion, so with the exception of any major grammar/spelling errors that may have gotten through my layers of proofreading, I do not foresee myself revisiting this story for editing or rewriting. Because of this, while I do generally welcome constructive criticism on the story, plot, and such, at this point in time I'm not interested in receiving critiques on the work. Thank you for understanding.
> 
> It makes me so happy to know that people have read the story and possibly enjoyed it. I know that opinions can differ, but I really enjoyed writing it. I want to end on a positive note, so let me express my thanks again. I couldn't have done this without the encouragement you all have given me. I appreciate everything, and hope that I can return again sometime in the future to share more stories.


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